Digiland
by ProcurerFaith
Summary: Repost: After losing Matt, TK suffers a mental breakdown. He receives a distress call from Patamon, and struggles to get to the Digital World - only to find it massively changed. Can TK help the beleaguered Digimon and save their world?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. All Digimon characters are owned by Toei and A. Hongo and such. I am making no money from this fic. It is a just-for-fun project. The only bit I own is my own characters and the way the words are put together.

**Author's Note; ****18th June 2008** – Please remember, edits may not quite appear as you remember them, as I'm hashing together the beta and the original uploads. I do not plan to come back and amend this work (if I start picking holes in it, I'll never stop XD)

**Digi-land**

**Act one: The Asylum**

"Have you taken your medication today, Takeru?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"How many pills did you take, Takeru?"

"Two Lithium. One Diazepam. One Chlordiazepoxide. Two Fluoxetine."

"Good boy." The doctor drawled as he sat back. TK's beautiful blue eyes were lucid and washed out.

"Where are you?"

"My body or my spirit?"

"At ah ah ah, Takeru. Remember what we said about body and spirit being the same thing. Now, where are you?"aveHave you ne Diazepam.

"I am with you, in a small room. In an asylum."

"Good boy. Now where-"

"But I am also with my brother."

"No, you are _not_, Takeru, how many times do we need to go through this?" The doctor sighed in frustration and rubbed his temples. TK put his head to one side and gazed at the doctor.

"But I am _always_ with my brother."

"Ah yes. _Yamato_."

TK rocked a little.

"You say his name like it were something dirty."

"But it _is_, Takeru, it _is_. Your beloved brother is preventing your healing; he is stopping you from seeing the sunshine. Don't you want to see the sunshine?"

"Yes."

"Then you need to forget about _Yamato_ and the _Digiworld_. You have to_ forget…_"

TK looked away uncomfortably and started to fidget. He rubbed his forehead distractedly, and knocked on the side of his head with his knuckle.

"No." He replied, still rocking.

"Takeru, Takeru, Takeru… What am I to do with you? You simply refuse to get better. Maybe I'll have to put you in a room without a window."

"No!" TK cried, terror in his voice. He moved out of the chair, trying to grab the arm of the doctor, who flew out of his chair.

"Sit down! Takeru, sit down _now_!" TK froze and crept back to the chair. He lowered himself back into it slowly, cowed.

"That's better. I can't have you getting too big for your boots now, can I?"

"N-no."

"I think the room without a window. I think that is for you tonight."

TK whimpered, looking around the room for an exit. He chewed his fingernails in desperation. Finally, his eyes met the doctor's. The doctor steepled his fingers and grimaced at the boy.

"N-no…"

"Then what do we say?"

"Y… Yama… I-I can't-"

"You can. You just _think _you can't"

"Yamato… Oniichan is…is gone."

"No, he's…?" The doctor lead, waving his hand to goad TK on.

"He's dead, Yama is dead!" TK wailed, closing his eyes and covering his ears. At this point he leapt off the chair and raced to the corner of the room, where he gently rocked himself on his haunches, eyes and ears closed off.

After a few moments the doctor slowly got out of his chair. He walked purposefully across the room to TK and gently rested his hand on TK's head.

"Good boy." He mused.

* * *

TK gazed out between the bars, one finger to his eye. He was lying in the hard, uninviting and dirty bed of his room. He knew- no, he sensed- that his nightly sedative would be along shortly.

"Whose soul did I sell to get the light? Whose soul did I sell to the soul whose soul is food for the souls with the soul who I search for?" He said to the moonlight which bled over his dirty white bedcovers.

"Matt, where are you?" TK reached up his hand to the moonlight and turned it around, letting the ivory light slip and slide across his skin.

"Are you in the dark? I don't know where you are."

TK heard the door open. He looked as the young nurse entered his room.

"Will you be good for me tonight, Takeru?" She smiled. Takeru smiled in return.

"Yes, Sora." He reached out his arm and let her deaden the skin with alcohol.

"I'm not Sora, Takeru. I think maybe I just _look_ like Sora." Takeru moved his head to one side.

"Yes. Maybe that's it."

'Sora' slid her needle into Takeru's skin, and he looked away, gazing at the light from the window.

"I don't hear him tonight, Sora. I don't hear him."

"I know.

"Takeru, you know I have orders to tell Dr Kaibutsu if you show signs of delusion. Please don't put me in that position."

TK's head whipped around.

"No! No, because he'll take away the light!"

"I know his methods seem strange, Takeru, but he _is _a good doctor." The nurse depressed the plunger.

"I have to find him. I need a portal. Portal…through the eyes is the portal to the soul… Body here, soul somewhere else…" Takeru mumbled until the sedative started to take effect.

The nurse looked at him for a while, her eyes sad. Then she picked up her things and moved on to the next cell, and the next patient.

As TK stopped fighting the fluttering of his eyelids, he finally heard what he had been waiting for. The sound of Matt's crying in his ears. The sound that had been his lullaby for the past two years.

"TK! Psst! TK!" TK was awakened from his drug-induced sleep by a high-pitched voice calling his name. He blinked slowly.

"I know you." He croaked, looking at his arm, where something furry brushed against it.

"I've been told _not _to know you."

"Tough. Get up off your backside and help me get up there on your pillow." wheezed the little creature.

"Patamon, you _know_ you're not supposed to exist."

"Damn that to Hell, TK. You're supposed to be protecting us." The digimon coughed loudly and harshly. A few strands of hair fell out of his coat. TK gazed at the orange and white creature and blinked. He opened his mouth to speak and was interrupted by the annoyed furball.

"Don't give me that look."

"Why?"

"Just don't."

"Patamon, can I ask you a question?"

"No."

"Have you seen Matt anywhere?"

"No."

"Oh." TK's face dropped a little and he turned over in the bed, turning his back on the ball of orange hair.

"TK, don't you _dare_ turn your back on me."

"You can stop existing now."

There was a knock at the door.

"Takeru? Who are you talking to, Takeru?"

TK's eyes widened in his head. His head spun around to face the door. He knew that voice.

"You have to hide!!" TK whispered urgently to the much-changed Patamon.

"But I don't exist, remember? Things that don't exist don't have to hide!" Patamon yelled. TK smothered him with the bedclothes in panic.

"No, no, no! You can't exist now! I have to take my pills, so I'll thank you to go away and stop existing!"

"I don't exist, or you don't want me to?"

"Please, Patamon! They'll take away the light!" TK cried, instantly smothering his mouth.

"Patamon? Oh, Takeru, we're not regressing to that again, are we? Tut, tut."

"Hide! _Hide_!" TK hissed, flinging himself out of the bed.

The door opened, and TK bowed as the doctor entered the room.

"So where is he, Takeru?"

"W-who?"

"Your little accomplice."

"N-no…" TK lifted his hand from his side and pounded himself on the head.

"Is he here, Takeru?" Dr Kaibutsu indicated the bed and then embedded his fist into a small lump in the covers.

"No! P-p…" His voice and colour drained away as Dr Kaibutsu swept the covers off the bed. As Kaibutsu expected, there was nothing there.

The doctor's face was dark.

"You know what this means, Takeru." The doctor put Takeru's pills down on the padded cabinet by his bed.

"Sora was supposed to come." Takeru uttered.

"What? Does your nurse not report to me all your delusions? What is her name, Takeru?

"S-sora…"

"That's not her name."

"I d-don't know…

"D-don't put me there." TK shut his eyes and bowed his body in half.

"You leave me no alternative, Takeru." Dr Kaibutsu suddenly grabbed TK's wrist.

"No! Nu-_ugh_!" The doctor covered TK's screams with his hand. Screaming and crying, TK tugged away from the man, yanking one hand free to reach for the sunlight that spilt through the bars to his small room. His fingertips touched the warm essence of freedom for only a moment before the stone-faced doctor dragged his arm back out of reach.

"It-it may not a-always be that way…_nuuh_! Y-you can't…_let go! Mmmmuuughh!! _Don't take nu-nuthin' for granted! You_ gotta live life today_!! _No-_ugh!" TK screamed, still struggling against his captor. Kaibutsu half dragged, half carried TK out into the long corridor outside his room.

"I t-turn around- _don't put me in the dark!!_" TK sobbed as they approached the Dark room.

"_O-oh God, _shujin_, not the dark! Please not the dark!_" TK screeched.

"There's no Yamato in the dark, Takeru. You will learn. And I will take away your fluoxetine if this continues."

He flung the still protesting TK into the dark room with no window, and put his pills down by the door. TK shifted backwards into a corner, shaking and rocking himself back and forth, back and forth, like a disturbed cat.

The door slammed shut, and TK was alone with the darkness and his tears.

"I turn around…I can see what's behind me…I turn back around…" TK sang faintly, his face wet with his tears.

"You're the awesomest big brother…

"Yes, you are, yes you are.

"But you never accept it.

"No, you don't.

"I try and try and try…

"No, Matt, don't go in there…

"What do you mean, 'why'? I have a bad feeling.

"Like if you go in there you won't come out.

"Don't call me that. You know I hate being called stupid.

"You always think you know better, don't you! You always think you do!

"Come on and listen to me this time!"

TK stood suddenly, ranting still, waving his arms at the darkness.

"I won't go in there with you!

"I won't!

"You can't make me!

"No you can't!"

TK slapped his hands over his mouth and held it tight until the skin went white around his fingertips, until he cut his mouth on his own teeth.

"I remember it as a two-way conversation." It wasn't TK who spoke.

"How did you get in?" TK asked, knowing the voice instantly.

"I side-tracked through the back corridor."

TK was silent for a long time.

"Come on, TK. We need you, remember?"

"No."

TK spoke as if the creature were really there, although he couldn't see it.

"I can't find the wall now, Patamon."

The digimon hacked and coughed. He brushed against TK's leg, and TK leapt away, whimpering.

"Not when I can't find the wall, Patamon. I've lost it, it's not here anymore."

"I'll take you to it, stupid."

"Don't call me that. You know I hate being called stupid."

"Are you gonna follow me or what?"

TK reached out for the furball. Eventually, he made contact with Patamon. His digimon lead him through the dark- and all the time TK was whispering the words to Matt's songs. When he finally found his way back to the wall, TK clutched tightly to it- as though without it he couldn't breathe.

"What's it like now, Patamon?" TK broke off from his faint singing. He heard his digimon sigh.

"It's not very nice, TK. The whole world- _whoosh_. Gone. It's not the same without you guys there to take care of us."

"We didn't do such a good job." TK sighed.

"It was all fine until-"

"Matt."

"Yeah. It was all _his fault_." The voice suddenly turned into a hacking cough and TK reached out in the darkness to it.

"It _was not_! It _was not_!" He yelled, the whole time half-rubbing and half -smacking the back of the small creature.

"He couldn't help disappearing! He couldn't help being disappeared!" TK cried.

"Dead." Hacked the small bewinged animal.

"No! _Not _dead!

"I still hear him crying, Patamon. I _know_ he's not dead."

"Then explain it to me, TK." Patamon sounded angry.

"I don't know..." TK sighed. Patamon could hear the strain in his voice.

"Tai was convinced he died. Sora was convinced he died. Davis was convinced he died. Kari-"

"Stop!!" TK yelled. He covered his ears.

"You've lost your mind, TK."

"They didn't know anything! They _didn't_! They just _didn't_ want him any more!

"A-and then, then they put me away! They put me in this place where they put me in the dark all the time, where they make me say bad things and stuff that isn't true!"

"But it _is _true, TK. Matt _is _dead. I was with you, remember. When they-"

"They _didn't_! Oh, Patamon, you were _always _on my side! Why aren't you on my side now?"

"I am. I'm _still _your digimon." Patamon coughed.

"Then why are you being so mean? Why are you talking to me like I've done you bad?"

"Because I'm _sick_, TK. I'm _sick _and I need your help. The _Digiworld_ is sick. You have to _help _us TK, you're the only one who listens anymore."

TK looked around in the darkness, straining his eyes until he saw white spots and still nothing else.

"I can't go there."

"Why?"

"Look around you. I can't go where the darkness is."

"Yes you can. The trapping doesn't have to stop you. The darkness Matt died

in-"

"Didn't die."

"Fine, the darkness Matt _didn't_ die in should have no effect on you."

"But I went in there, to find him. And all I could see was the dark it was _all_ he could have seen. I went in; when they all came back and said he was gone. And they looked all sad, but I could see smiles in their eyes and joy in their hearts and they couldn't _wait _to say that he was gone." There was true venom in TK's voice- something Patamon would never have expected.

"And I went into the dark after him- even though I said I wouldn't go in there _with_ him, didn't mean I wouldn't go in there _for _him- but I couldn't find him anywhere, I couldn't see in the dark, but I could hear him crying. I could hear him crying and I smelt blood and, and they still simulate that, _shujin_ still simulates that. He still says that will help me, that it will give me 'closure' that it will help me 'come to terms' with my 'loss'."

For a while there was silence between them.

"Speak, Patamon. Don't leave me alone in the dark."

"We can get out of here, TK. Just you and me. If what you say is true, then we can go find Matt. If he's not dead, he must still be in the Digiworld somewhere, right? Somewhere out there."

"He _is_. I _know _this to be the truth."

"Then we'll find him. But first of all, we need to get back to the Digiworld and out of the dark."

"If I've lost my mind, I'll find it there, Patamon. I'll find it when I get there."

"Whatever."

"He says that. Don't say it, never say it." TK stared into the dark with an aggressive look, about where he estimated Patamon to be.

"Sure, whatever you say."

* * *

Tai looked nervously at Sora.

"This is the only time I ever see you nervous." She smiled shortly. Tai smirked.

"Uh-huh."

"You still don't think they did the right thing do you?"

They were standing on the front steps of the asylum, in the cold, winter air. The tall, gothic wooden doors did nothing for the traditional view of asylums, and the currently dark, bad-tempered skies didn't make the atmosphere any better. It had been so much brighter that morning, Tai mused to himself. He looked around at the grey shades.

Taking his eyes back to Sora's he replied, succinctly,

"No.

"I _don't _think the right thing to do was lock TK away in this place- away from his friends and family. Sure, he wasn't coping and he needed professional help to do so- but not like this." Tai waved an arm at the doors.

"I mean-"

He was cut short by the opening of the door. Dr Kaibutsu opened the door. His long features remained unchanged for a good few moments. The long black robe that he wore- not dissimilar to a priest's cassock- was taken at the hem by the breeze caused by the opening of the door. The wind toyed with it a little, before letting it drop back down to it's original position.

Without warning, the man smiled. It was a grotesque portrayal of greeting, and Tai and Sora tried to smile back- despite the imposing nature of the tall figure in front of them.

"You are here for Takeru."

It was a statement, not a question.

"Yes." Replied Tai. "We called earlier this week and requested to see him."

"But your last visit was only three weeks ago. He is allowed visitors only one week in four."

"I know, but I wanted to see him now." Tai's brow furrowed. He'd never liked this situation. And he certainly didn't like the man to whom TK's care had been entrusted. The man continued to smile.

"I didn't authorise your visit."

"Well authorise it now."

"I do not have to. It is not required of me."

"It _is _required of you."

There was a pause whilst the deadlock between the two ensued. Sora turned away. Tai had already told her that there was no way he was leaving without seeing TK. He'd done nothing but worry about him since the last visit. It seemed that TK was growing paler and paler- and not any better.

Finally, the taller figure gave in. Continuing to smile like the Cheshire Cat, he swung wide the door.

"Please, enter."

"Thank you." Said Tai, grudgingly.

As they followed the man down the tall, dark corridor, he called behind him,

"You know you are interrupting his treatment?"

"Why? What are you doing today, poking needles through his skull? Giving him electro-shock therapy?" Tai muttered under his breath.

Dr Kaibutsu swung open a tall door that stood in front of them.

Both Tai and Sora walked into the room. Dr Kaibutsu looked in at them, still smiling.

"No. We don't partake in such animalistic approaches. We use dark-and-light therapy here.

"Wait here."

He slammed the door in front of them.

They looked at the door, Tai slightly bemused.

"I didn't think he heard me."

"Nice going, Tai!" hissed Sora.

"Well, how was _I _to know he was listening?" Tai tried to excuse himself. Sora sighed and threw herself down into one of the old chairs in the lavishly decorated room. Tai followed her and sat down in another chair. Tapestry designs were everywhere. On the walls, on the chairs, over the book cases- this was an _old _room. In every sense of the word.

"How can TK stand being here?" Sora whispered, shivering in her chair.

"He probably can't." Tai looked up from the floor. Their eyes met, an understanding sparking off between them.

There were silent for a while. There was a tall Grandfather clock in the corner, which made no secret of it's ticking. Tai leaned back into the big chair and sighed.

Whispers of a faint but familiar song touched his ears. It had been Matt's last- and full of unnerving premonition.

"_If a promise of life could bring me back…If words could only change a fate…If the darkness of my heart is my trap…Then could only the purest of heart bring me back?"_

"He's here." Stated Tai.

The door swung open, and Dr Kaibutsu ushered TK into the room. He sat him down silently in one of the big chairs and placed a black strap around his waist and the back of the chair. TK didn't watch what he was doing at all. His eyes were set on Tai's.

Tai looked back at TK's empty pools. He wasn't sure what to read from TK's expression- whether he was glad to see him, or still angry. The last time they had come he had gotten angry and had swung out at Tai.

"I will return in ten minutes." Dr Kaibutsu stated. He swept over to the main door.

"There is a buzzer to my room in the corner, by the second bookshelf- should you need it."

"I'm sure we won't." Tai's voice was tart.

Tai and Sora heard the door slam shut behind the man as he left. TK watched Tai's every movement. He hadn't even acknowledged Sora.

"Hey, TK. Are you still mad at me?" TK looked away from Tai, focusing his eyes on the back of Sora's chair. His sullen silence was tactile.

"Do you still blame me?"

"Doesn't matter. Time only will tell."

"Are you talking _to_ me, or _at_ me?" Tai asked, moving forward in the chair. TK moved his head, but only to acknowledge the bookshelves on the back wall.

"Books are knowledge; you have to treat them carefully." TK said, watching the books as they failed to move.

Suddenly, the sun came out from behind the dark, sullen clouds and yellow light spilled in through the dusty window. It caught TK's attention immediately, and he smiled. Forgetting he was trapped for a moment, he tried to get out of the chair. When he found that he couldn't, he reached out his hands instead- straining to reach the light, straining to reach for freedom.

"TK?"

"Sunlight…" TK whispered. He still didn't acknowledge Tai.

"Do you want me to take you to the window?" Tai asked. TK didn't reply, just kept gazing at the sunlight.

"Sora, help me with his chair." Tai instructed, getting up immediately. She followed him, and together, they managed to heave both TK and the chair over to the window, catching the carpet under the feet of the antique.

"I… I'd forgotten…" TK whispered, gazing out of the window at the greenery outside. Tai put one hand on TK's and knelt beside the chair, taking in the silhouette of TK's face.

"TK? Are you still mad at me? For Matt? For not letting you go in again?"

"He wants it too." TK uttered, reaching his hands out and bathing in the light from the window.

"He who? Matt?" Asked Tai.

"But… He can't reach it, either. He's always in the dark." TK met Tai's eyes for a second time.

"It's different now."

"What is?"

"Blossoms. Kimono in the early days of spring. Cherry blossoms… Sakura. In Odaiba park. It was a black kimono. Dad asked why. He said 'contrasts'."

"Is that something you remember, TK? Is that something you and Matt did?"

"Mine was red. And small. And the cherry blossoms died whilst we were there." TK was still gazing into Tai's worried eyes.

"Mom said that they only last a little while. We watched them die."

"The blossoms, TK. They come back every year. They die, but the next year they're back, and they're just as pink and beautiful as ever."

"It feels nice to be hugged by someone wearing a black silk kimono." TK said sadly.

Tai had no comeback for that comment.

TK scratched his head.

"We got into trouble because we ruined our kimonos.

"I never saw him wear one after that." Tai spent a small while thinking.

"I don't think I ever saw him wear one."

TK shook his head.

"He didn't. Not much." Tai smiled. He and TK were communicating. They were talking and listening to each other- and that hadn't happened in a long time.

"It'll be blossom time again soon, TK. You think you'd like to see the blossoms again?"

TK didn't answer this time, and just stared back out of the window. Tai's heart sank.

"TK…I want to help you. I know you don't like this place. I know you don't. Tell me how to help you."

"Take the darkness away."

"What do you mean? The darkness inside you? The darkness outside?"

"Bring me Matt back."

Tai lowered his head.

"If only I could, TK. If only I could bring him and your kimonos and the blossoms back, I would."

"It's very dark in there."

"In where, TK?"

"It doesn't have a window. And I can't see the sun." TK was still staring out of the window.

"And when he comes back, he'll put me back in there because Patamon came to talk with me again."

"Who will? The doc?"

"Bad boy… You bad boy… Ah yes. _Yamato_. What do we say?" TK closed his eyes.

Tai looked at Sora beseechingly. She came to sit beside TK too. The yellow sunlight drenched his sunken face and he closed his eyes in its warmth.

"TK…?"

TK opened his eyes.

"Sora?" He asked. He turned to her, tears in his eyes. "You were supposed to keep my secret. You were supposed to not tell him that I heard Matt that night."

"TK? I-I don't understand…" Sora looked confused, despite trying to make sense of what TK was accusing her of.

"You were supposed to _not _tell him. You were always so nice and I always let you inject me unless I could hear him screaming." A lone tear rolled down TK's face.

"Unless you could hear who screaming, TK?" Tai asked softly.

"Matt." TK didn't take his eyes off Sora.

"Are you having nightmares again, TK? We can tell them and then they can do something about it?" Tai had desperation in his voice.

"I won't have nightmares for very much longer. I'm going to make the darkness go away." TK turned to look at Tai.

"What do you mean, TK?" Tai asked nervously, his face etched with concern.

Without warning, the sun was swallowed up by clouds again. TK cried out, and strained against the strap holding him tight in the chair as he reached out for the dying strains of natural light.

"Don't leave me…" TK whispered to the dissipating warmth. "Don't leave me here alone…"

"TK, what did you mean by you were 'going to make the darkness go away'?" Tai was very centred on those words. They scared him- TK had never had suicidal tendencies before. Could that mean that he hated this place that much?

TK's breathing became uneven and shaky.

"I want to go home…I don't want the dark…"

"TK?" Tai was openly worried about his young friend.

"Tai? Make it go away… Make the dark go away…" TK begged as lightning lit the sky. On the flash, suddenly, all the lights in the room exploded, blacking out the library. Screams erupted throughout the whole asylum.

TK began to scream.

"TK…TK, calm down…" Tai put a hand on TK's shoulder, trying to calm him- which was difficult, considering that his own voice was full of panic.

Amidst the crying and screaming that now filled Tai and Sora's ears, they could hear TK fretting,

"Tai? Tai, you have to tell Mom the music box was _my _fault. It was _my _fault. I-I broke it and Matt took the blame, like he always did. If they hadn't _found_ me painting the kitty, he'd have taken the blame for that, too." TK suddenly caught Tai's frightened eyes.

His look was stern, and controlled suddenly.

"You _have _to tell her."

"I'll tell her, TK, but you can tell her yourself when she next comes to visit you." TK smiled and shook his head. He looked down at the restraints that kept his body trapped in the chair. He looked up at Tai again.

"Please get me out of these restraints, Tai. Please…" TK's eyes pleaded in conjunction with his voice. Tai took a moment to think, and then, as lightning again stripped the sky of it's darkness and the screaming started full force once more, he tore off the straps from the back of the chair and TK leapt out of it.

He turned to Tai and bowed.

"Thank you."

Another flash of lightening. Tai's eyes took a moment to adjust to the poor light following it- only to find TK was not anywhere in his line of sight. Sora gasped.

"Tai?"

"I know." Tai could hear his fear reflected in his tight, shaky breaths. As he took a moment to look around the room, he realised that there was no way TK could still be in it.

"Where could he be?" Sora asked, her voice quivering.

"I don't know, but we have to find him." Tai vowed.

* * *

TK raced through the dark corridors, all the time muttering to himself,

"I can make the darkness go away…I can make the darkness go away…It's not really here, it's a figment of my imagination…"

"Patamon! Patamon!" TK cried suddenly, fear invading all his senses, his voice ragged with terror at being alone in the dark. He could hear himself breathing in the quiet of his own head.

"_Patamon!!_"

"I'm here, TK, I'm here!" Patamon was suddenly at his shoulder, guiding him through the darkness with the beat of his sickened wings.

"I thought you'd gone away! I thought you'd gone away like Matt did!" TK sobbed, still running.

"Not when we need you as much as we do!" Patamon confirmed, speeding ahead of the terrified boy. TK stopped running as Patamon began to lead him deeper into the building, deeper into the bowels of the asylum.

"No! Not underground into the dark! No, I can't!"

"Just a little farther, TK!"

"_No!"_

They heard footsteps behind them, and the shouting of the attendants as they raced towards him.

"Terminal dark…" TK whispered, trying to push himself into the wall, still gazing in terror into the inky blackness

"In here!" Patamon said angrily, half pushing and half dragging TK through a nearby doorway.

Patamon struggled to shut the door behind them. Eventually TK found his feet again, and rushed to help Patamon close the door. He turned around.

Somehow they had found the kitchen.

TK wandered around the room slowly. He was entranced by the shadows flung by the near-darkness pouring through the tiny, barred window.

He ran his fingers across the work surface. It had been some time since the kitchen had been cleaned, and certainly some weeks- and maybe months- since it had been used. Outside caterers had been deemed cheaper, and so the internal kitchen had been left to rot.

As TK slipped his hand into a dark section of worktop, he snapped it back like it had been bitten. As he looked at his fingers, a small line of blood beaded up on the surface. TK looked, bewildered, into the darkness and whimpered.

"Another reason to hate the dark…" Patamon whispered to him.

TK stepped back slowly, his eyes never leaving the dark space. Patamon, however, wandered into it like it was nothing- which it invariably was.

"Here, TK, take it." Patamon pushed a long, wide object out of the dark. TK leapt back and stared.

"No. That's bad." TK said sternly. He looked at Patamon, who gave him a disparaging look.

"Take it. You might need it. I'm not good at fighting right now."

The door was suddenly pummelled from outside, taking TK by surprise. He leapt away from the door, slamming his hand down on the work surface.

He found his palm on the handle of the carving knife- the long, wide object Patamon had pushed towards him.

He picked it up and gazed at it. The light reflected off it's edge suddenly, a small bead of brightness collecting at the tip. TK smiled.

"Light…"

"Who's in there!?" TK could hear yelling outside.

"I need a computer…" TK muttered to himself.

"There's a power cut, TK, even if you _could _find one, you'd never get it to work!"

"Generator… There's a generator. I hear it at night before I fall asleep." TK's eyes never left the blade in his hands.

The voices were quieting outside. Patamon flew up to the door.

"They've gone."

Suddenly the door swung open. Patamon was trapped halfway behind it, and TK heard him cry out. TK stood, transfixed as he recognised the long, hard face of Dr Kaibutsu.

"No more darkness…" TK whimpered. Dr Kaibutsu smiled wickedly.

"No more _darkness…_" TK suddenly hissed, his grip tightening on the handle of the sharp blade. Dr Kaibutsu saw the light glinting off the edge of the blade and instantly realised that he may have misjudged the situation.

TK approached him darkly, his eyes raised to him, but his head close to his body- both defensive and offensive.

Patamon was still struggling to get out from behind the door.

"Pull the door away from the wall, _shujin_." TK pointed with the knife.

"Patamon? Oh, Takeru, we're not regressing to that again, are we? Tut, tut." He mimicked the doctor's voice exactly.

"Takeru? What do you mean?"

TK just pointed with the knife above the doctor's head and smiled. Dr Kaibutsu moved his eyes slightly, and caught a flash of orange. He gasped.

"Is that-?"

"Patamon. Yes." TK replied.

Dr Kaibutsu looked back at TK, a look of shock and horror on his face. TK had the grace to smile and bow. The doctor pulled the door away from the wall, and the disgruntled Patamon flew out from behind it. He spat at the doctor.

"No more darkness, _shujin_. I'm going to find my brother now." TK informed.

"But your brother-"

"Matt is _not _dead!" TK growled, covering the space between them in a second. Suddenly he was atop the toweringly tall doctor, and then they were on the floor, TK's blade to Kaibutsu's throat.

TK growled, a guttural sound that put the fear of Hell into the trembling Dr Kaibutsu.

"Yamato is _not _dead. What do we say?" TK again mimicked the doctor's tones, but this time he was in control of the conversation. The blade was pressed closer to the doctor's throat.

"Yamato is…" The doctor chocked on the words, so close to his larynx was the knife.

"Yamato is… is _not _dead." The doctor breathed. TK grinned, showing all his teeth.

"Good boy."

Hand over foot, he leapt over the doctor's body, turning on all fours to grin triumphantly once again, and then sped down the corridor, transferring to the more customary two points of contact.

"Where to now?" panted Patamon as he followed TK down the corridor. TK's renewed confidence increased his speed.

"Dr Kaibutsu's office. There's a computer there. I have to hope… I have to hope…"

"Hope what, TK?"

"That I can get to the Digiworld on it." TK called back. His hand fell to his side.

The attendants had let him keep his digivice- on the whole, they preferred their fingers over the small piece of plastic, as TK had been known to bite at them if they tried to touch the tiny machine at his side.

Finally, by sheer luck and TK's internal GPU, they crashed into the office of the notorious Dr Kaibutsu. As TK had suspected, the computer was up and running, powered by the generator in the basement that rocked the building with it's hum at night.

He panicked suddenly, and fumbled at his digivice, tearing it from his waistband. He held it up to the computer and closed his eyes.

"Please make it work, please make it work…" He begged. Eventually, he opened one eye.

They were still in the office.

TK's face grew dark and suddenly he began smacking the computer.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!"

Growling, he stuck his knife into the keyboard, and was rewarded by way of several keys popping off.

Tears of frustration filled his eyes as he continued to smack the computer. Suddenly, his digivice glowed.

TK turned to Patamon, who was standing in the spaces belonging to the missing keys.

"Get going, TK!" Patamon yelled impatiently.

TK once again held his digivice up to the screen and hoped against hope that he would open his eyes and find himself in the Digiworld. Patamon seemed somehow to be able to open the portal, and certainly to make his digivice glow.

TK opened his eyes.

The darkness around his was unmistakable, as was the landscape.

He was in the Digiworld.

But it was a much changed Digiworld.

_-End of Act One-_

* * *

_Thank you very much for reading so far. More coming soon! :-D_


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. All Digimon characters are owned by Toei and A. Hongo and such. I am making no money from this fic. It is a just-for-fun project. The only bit I own is my own characters and the way the words are put together.

**Author's Note; ****18th June 2008** – Please remember, edits may not quite appear as you remember them, as I'm hashing together the beta and the original uploads. I do not plan to come back and amend this work (if I start picking holes in it, I'll never stop XD)

_**Digiland **_

_**Act Two: The Digiworld**_

Still holding his knife, TK walked forward, and sat down. He looked over the dark blue grass, across the torrid green sky. TK put his head to one side.

"What happened to all the colours, Patamon?"

"I don't know, TK. They went all funny when the virus hit us."

TK listened to his breathing for a while, whilst he calmed down.

"Do you think Matt's still here?"

"No, I think Matt's-"

"Don't say it."

Patamon sighed.

"I guess we could ask around."

A small speck in the distance wandered towards them. As it got nearer, TK shaded his eyes from the dark purple sun.

"It's Agumon." He said, a small smile spreading across his face.

"Remember, TK. None of us are ourselves." Patamon warned. TK appeared to ignore him as he got up to greet Agumon.

"Hello, Agumon." TK smiled. Agumon's eyes were wide and empty, but in order to please he put his head to one side and looked up, bending himself in half as he did so.

TK tried to meet him half way, but found his body wouldn't let him contort that much.

"It's gone very funny, Tai, yes indeedee." Agumon said lightly, still in his twisted position. TK was still trying to meet him on it.

"I'm not Tai, Agumon. I'm TK. Remember, I'm the one with the small hair." TK grinned kindly.

"And when the sun rises and falls, the grass goes with it. Looksee, over there-" Agumon pointed between his legs. TK was still trying to copy Agumon, and so found himself looking at the purple sun through his legs.

"I don't understand. Agumon, what-?"

"I have to go meet Gabumon. We have a dancing lesson." Agumon still kept talking. TK suddenly stood back up, looking at Agumon with a worried expression on his face.

"Watch out!" Patamon called loudly. TK turned only to be bowled over by an over enthused Gabumon, who appeared to be wagging his tail.

"Good boy, good boy!" called Gabumon, grinning inanely. TK flinched at that and tried to prise Gabumon off him.

"I'm glad to see you too, Gabumon. Hey, have you seen Matt?"

"I-I-Is that like…carpet?" Gabumon panted, still wagging his tail. TK's expression saddened.

"You don't remember him?"

"We had carpet. We had carpet, didn't we Agumon?"

"Blue daffodils…" Agumon replied dreamily.

"On the wall, at home." Gabumon panted, still wagging. "Play ball, TK, play ball!" Gabumon suddenly yelled, dropping a large round thing into TK's hands. As it unfurled, TK recognised it as a Yuramon.

"Gabumon, we can't play ball with this, it's a baby!" TK exclaimed. Gabumon looked at it, perplexed.

"It is? Oh well." He took it out of TK's hands, gazed at it, and then swallowed it.

TK looked at him in horror.

"Gabumon, no!" TK yelled, and started smacking Gabumon on the back.

"You can't…go around…swallowing Yuramon!" TK yelled, interspersing the sentence with powerful hits to Gabumon's back.

Agumon walked up to Gabumon as he stood, TK desperately trying to get him to throw the Yuramon back up. Agumon put his hands behind his back, inspected Gabumon on both sides, and then crowbarred his mouth open with both hands.

"Ooh, what's in here? Teeth and tongue and yep, yep- hairball…"

Seconds later the Yuramon came screaming out of Gabumon's mouth, bouncing away as fast as it could bounce. Gabumon coughed and sat down, a bewildered look on his face.

"Dat was um darn big hairball…" He wheezed. TK panted, tears in his eyes.

"Vrrooooooooooom!! Vrrroooooooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmbrrrrrr!!" TK heard a familiar voice and saw a red round thing whizz over his head, buzzing like a chainsaw. TK ducked instinctively, and looked after it as it turned around and came back for another try.

"Vrrrrwwaaaaaaaaaaghhahhahahahahaaaa!! Brrrrrooooooooooomwwwwwwwwwwwww!!"

"T-tentomon…?" TK asked in disbelief. As Tentomon sped away, TK saw him crash into a tree, bounce off and lay still on the floor.

"Tentomon!" TK yelled and raced towards him. Tentomon stood, shakily, waved his pincers at TK and took off again- a distinctly aggressive look on his face. "BWAAAHAHAHHAHAAHAHAHVRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!"

TK turned back to Patamon, who was standing forlornly to one side. As TK turned- the sun silhouhetted behind him- two tears sped off his cheeks and streaked like wet darts down his shirt.

"Patamon? What happened?" He whispered.

"You didn't come anymore." Patamon whispered, sniffing.

"But…But I didn't have a choice. Tell me… What happened. After Matt."

"When Matt died-"

"Didn't die."

"When Matt _didn't _die… You were all sad. All of you. Tai, Izzy, Joe, Cody… and some of you came, but not all of you and none of you came some of the time and all of you came none of the time.

"Then you stopped coming.

"You stopped coming.

"And there wasn't anybody to protect us anymore.

"And we waited. And we waited.

"And one day the sky turned green and we all thought we were going crazy. Then, the next day, the sun turned purple. And the grass turned blue.

"And Agumon talked about blue daffodils and Tentomon bit at anything above six feet.

"The day of the virus had finally come. It was written about in prophesies dating back thouusands of years. Centarumon told us all about it before he decided his head was better to walk on than his feet."

Patamon was suddenly taken in a fit of coughing. TK looked worried and moved forward to comfort the ailing Digimon- but he pushed him away.

"You weren't here!"

"I-I couldn't help it, Patamon, I was sick! They…They put me in that horrible place! I was sick!"

Patamon grimaced slightly.

"Did you hear what you just said, TK?"

"What?"

"You said you were sick."

TK stopped.

"You _were _sick."

"You mean…I'm not sick anymore?"

"Do you _feel_ sick?"

TK turned around and looked at the sky surrounding the dying sun. The wind blew suddenly, loosening tears from his eyes.

"No." he finally responded. He looked back at Patamon for a moment, then turned to the sunset again.

"But I didn't feel sick before."

"You were feeling the call of the Digiworld, TK." As he listened to Patamon's voice, he gazed across the lurid ground to where Agumon and Gabumon were playing pat-a-cake and Tentomon was still determinedly trying to eat the top off a nearby dark spire.

"The Digiworld needed you, TK. And you couldn't come to it.

"Nobody expected you to take Matt's… _not_ death as hard as you did. Sure, we all expected you'd take it bad, but not _that _bad. We didn't think you'd…"

"Go nuts?"

"Yeah."

"It's not over, Patamon. Matt's _not _dead."

TK's voice was flat and calm, but not devoid of emotion. In his centre, he believed that Matt was still alive, the core of his being revolved around that as a fact.

Patamon sighed.

"What makes you think so? I mean, what makes you so positive that after all this hoping, you'll still find him- alive? He's…He's been gone two years, TK. If he were alive, he'd have let you know by now."

Patamon listened carefully for TK's answer. The boy still looked at the sunset, never taking his clenched fists away from his sides, never taking his eyes off some singular point in the distance.

"Because I'd know."

A single, three word answer. But not simple. Those three words carried more depth and meaning than they could convey in their simple syllables.

"What do you mean, 'you'd know'?"

"If Matt was dead, I'd feel…different. Especially here. Did you know, Patamon, that the Digiworld only heightens human sensitivities?"

"No. I didn't."

"It does. My brother and I fought miles apart and time itself to stay close when all the odds were stacked against us, and somehow we managed it. Sure, he's not always there when I need him. Even when you live in the same house that doesn't always happen- and I know better than to think that closeness is an obligatory part of being a brother or a sister. But it's vice versa too. I'm not always there for him, either.

"Now he needs me to be there for him more than ever. Now, when there's not anybody who believes, he needs me to guide them to him.

"I won't give up on him. I won't give up, Patamon.

"Whatever called me here, and has called me and taunted me for two years, wasn't just the Digiworld in pain. It wasn't just the virus. There's something deeper than that, something causing the virus."

Patamon was as silent as death.

"It's…more like an infection than a virus. Something that gets worse and worse until it's treated. Medically, there's no cure for a virus."

Another silence.

"You think Matt called you here?"

"I think something called me here on his behalf."

"But what?"

"That's something I don't know.

"You can't listen to your brother crying, and sometimes screaming in your head for two years, Patamon, and _not_ know that something is taunting you. Even if it's just that fact itself."

Another lengthy silence. Patamon shuffled his feet as he finally stood at TK's side. Some awful internal distress exuded from his young friend and he found himself wanting to do whatever he could to stop it.

"How do you want to go about looking for this thing?"

"I don't know. What am I looking for?"

"Try Veemon. He spends a lot of time digging holes and eating dirt nowadays. Maybe he's seen something."

"Where can we find him?"

"Over at what was the Primary Village."

"Primary Village?" TK looked at his digimon questioningly.

"Oh, that's right, of course- you don't know."

"Don't know what?" TK scowled.

"All the babies are gone."

"They can't be- what about that Yuramon?"

"All the babies are gone from the Primary Village."

TK kicked the grass in front of him in anger.

"Well, what happened to them?"

Patamon turned away. When he spoke, his voice shook.

"The Monochromon trampled them."

TK stood in stunned silence for a few moments.

"Trampled them?" Patamon whirled on him.

"Yes, TK, trampled them, is that so hard to understand?!" he snapped. He flapped his wings weakly as though to escape his irksome young colleague, but found he didn't have the strength. He panted, and allowed TK to lift him up, as a few more strands of hair fell out. TK gently tugged at some of the looser strands. Patamon let him do it- after all, it saved him scratching them out later.

"I'm surprised you're not bald yet." He said softly, his voice as gentle as the breeze which swept the twilight land.

"I will be, if you keep doing that."

TK began to walk, the suffering little digimon in his arms.

* * *

They walked for a long time before they reached their destination, and heard their subject humming loudly before they saw him.

The first sign of Veemon was his rump- stuck up in the air, out of a rather large hole. He was surrounded by many other digimon- most of whom seemed to also be industriously digging holes. As TK scanned the area, he saw Sukamon,Chuumon and many other digimon of all shapes and sizes- Elecmon, Bakemon, Drimogemon, Gazimon… Between them, they were turning up mountain upon mountain of earth.

The Primary Village was dark and brooding. The tall, once soft toy blocks were twisted and dangerous, sharpened to a point by the falling of the diseased Digiworld's rain. TK blinked as he gazed around him.

"It's times like this _I'm _glad I'm _crazy_." TK noted to Patamon who nodded gravely.

"Uh-huh."

"It's da man, it's da man!" Veemon yelled suddenly from his hole. TK froze and ran closer to him.

"Where!?" he cried, kneeling down beside Veemon and half expecting to see Matt. Veemon turned his head to TK. He looked at him, as though he were a familiar sight- and then stuffed a handful of dirt into his mouth.

"So, what are _you _doing?" munched Veemon slowly. TK's expression flicked for a moment between confusion and comprehension.

"I'm looking for my brother." TK replied finally. Veemon choked on his dirt.

"Fwaaagh!!" He spat it out and looked incredulously at TK.

"Everybody, come see here! This funny looking guy is looking for his brother!" The entire group stopped and turned to stare at TK. TK felt his face flush red.

"I…uh… Uhmm…I guess I should ask if you recognise me, but I guess you don't."

Veemon moved in to look at TK, then pawed at the young man's face. TK let him, but dubiously.

"I dunno…" He sad, sitting back and rubbing his chin. Then he moved forward and whispered,

"What's a brother, anyway?"

"A brother?" TK was slightly taken aback by the question, but quickly recovered. Veemon nodded.

"Well… A brother is somebody who-"

"Do they eat dirt?" Veemon asked, in all seriousness. TK shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.

"Uh-uh. Not much."

"Pah!" exclaimed Veemon, waving his hand and looking away. TK looked at Patamon.

"Who did you say you were?" Veemon narrowed his eyes.

"Me? I'm TK." TK responded, looking up from picking more loose hair out of Patamon's coat.

"Oh. You are?" Veemon said, stunned. The other diggers had already returned to digging up the hallowed ground of the village of children. Veemon looked down into the hole he had created in the ground.

"Then this is for _you_." Veemon grunted and giggled as he heaved at something in the hole. TK leaned in to try and help him, but there wasn't room.

Finally, with one long grunt and a whole lot of effort, Veemon's prize came clean.

"Look. Yours." Veemon whispered, as he finished hefting the little box into TK's hands.

It was a small, wooden affair, ornately carved in walnut wood. The vines on the side weaved and swam, coming together in a knot over the centre top of the box. In the large knot, were two letters- TK.

The box was suprisingly heavy for it's size, and TK had trouble holding it at first until he got to grips with the centre of it's gravity. He scowled and looked at Patamon for assistance.

"Well, open it, then!" Patamon screwed up his face in annoyance. TK looked at the box, sensing change in it.

"I don't like it. You have it." TK passed it back to Veemon. Veemon jumped three feet in the air and ran behind a dilapidated toy block.

"I don't want it, I've never seen it before, get me outta here!!" Veemon screamed, covering his eyes and shaking. TK looked after the little digimon with worried eyes. He stood, the box still in his hands.

"I'm sorry, Veemon. I haven't upset you, have I?"

"S'not my box, I haven't seen it!" Veemon wailed, falling to the ground and pounding his fists and feet on it like a child in tantrum. TK blinked.

"I'll keep it then, maybe?" He suggested, proffering the little box for a moment, and attempting a comforting smile at the digimon. Veemon looked up from the ground and grinned, leaping to his feet.

"That's settled then." He grinned. TK took a step back at the sudden switchback in the rookie's reactions. Veemon rushed forward suddenly, pushing TK around and forward, out of the Primary Village in the opposite direction to that which he had entered by.

"Take care! Keep looking! Hurry back now!" Veemon gave TK, who was being chased quickly by Patamon, one last shove and then started to wave. As TK's momentum kept him going, he turned to look at Veemon, who was still waving. He'd managed to dig up a white handkerchief from somewhere and had started waving it, crying,

"Hurry back soon, baby, Mommy misses you already!"

TK turned and kept walking, unsure that he wanted to stay in Veemon's rather bizarre company.

"Wow, he's really flipped." Patamon said, when they were out of earshot. TK nodded sadly. Patamon flew up to his old spot on TK's hat, albeit slowly. TK was carrying the tiny box, so he didn't have room to carry Patamon as well.

"What do you think it is, Patamon?" TK asked, shaking the box close to his ear as they walked. He'd have sworn he heard bells as he shook it, but his brain wasn't quite as convinced as his ears.

"Well, you'll never know until you open it, stupid."

"Don't call me that, you know I hate being called stupid."

"Sorry."

"It's okay."

They were silent as they kept walking, the woods around them slowly giving way to wetter soil- indication of a river nearby.

"Can't we rest, TK? Aren't you tired?"

"No. I'm not tired."

"_I _am."

"But I'm doing all the work, how can you be tired?" TK asked, smiling.

"Can't you rest for a little bit? I mean, we don't know where we're headed, do we?"

"No, but we'll find it." TK answered, feeling very self assured.

"Please, TK." Patamon asked softly. TK stopped.

"Do you really want to stop that much?" he asked of his friend. Patamon dropped off his head and fluttered in front of his eyes, nodding.

"Okay. But it looks as though there's a little clearing over there, so we'll stop when we get to it. Okay?"

"Okay."

As they approached the clearing, they could hear two things; the rushing of water and strange music. It wasn't very familiar to TK, but it's disjointed, metallic strains insisted that he should remember.

The deep set, insistant drum beat lay like a snake in the grass beneath the main tune, which consisted of some kind of multiple bells and cymbals.

TK could remember only one thing about it.

This kind of music _creeped him out._

As they came out into the clearing, the first thing TK saw was the water. It appeared to be running upwards in a clean shade of pink.

"Mimi would love that…" TK murmured, but his attention was quickly drawn to the source of the music- and it was a big source.

The young man could now identify the type of music it was- although not why it unnerved him so much. It was fairground music- such as was played at fairgrounds and circuses around the world- created originally from one, big single orchestral machine, with a music roll like those in a player piano.

The machine now responsible for the music was a carousel. It's lights were bright, but it's gold laquer brittle and peeling, it's paint tired and old. The bitter and twisted horses bobbed up and down, their teeth bared against their wooden bits and their eyes wide and haggard. They were trapped by the gold bars strutted through the centre of their backs. TK shied away, nervous of the big, old fairground attraction.

"I don't like it…" TK whispered to Patamon.

"I've never seen it here by the river before…" Patamon whispered back.

The carousel was in motion, swinging around to it's centre point.

TK gasped.

On a black horse, careening around and waving his arm, laughing, was an old foe.

"Piedmon!" TK cried, anger and fear flushing through his veins.

"Some things don't change. He always _was_ mad." Patamon said angrily.

"But then shouldn't he be sane?!" TK asked frantically.

"I guess he was too far gone!"

Piedmon carried on sitting astride his time-ravaged horse, laughing as it bobbed up and down like a duck in the water.

"Come to the cabaret, old chum, come to the cabaret…" He sang as he went around on another turn. TK relaxed a little- enough to call out over the music,

"If that was supposed to be 'Carousel', it wasn't; it was 'Cabaret'."

"I know that, you little irk! Or at least, I think I did once…" Piedmon replied as he leapt off the horse. TK watched both the carousel and Piedmon very closely. Piedmon approached and bowed.

"Who said I wasn't sane? Was that _you_?" Piedmon pointed at Patamon, who shook violently behind TK's leg. Piedmon shrugged and turned away from the two.

"Never mind, I don't have time for this now. I have a ride to get back to." He turned back to TK and caught sight of the box in his hands- and the knife at his belt.

"Oh! You found it, then?" he asked, indicating the box nestled in TK's arms. TK looked down.

"This?"

"No, that scotch mist behind you- of _course_ _that_!" Piedmon replied, sighing.

"I don't know what it is. Do…Do you?" TK asked.

"Well, you'll never know unless you open it, will you?" Piedmon replied, sweeping his two ribbons back over his shoulders. TK looked chastened. Piedmon bowed again and got back up onto the carousel, which was still turning, and leapt up to his horse.

"I hear you're looking for your brother!" He called as the carousel carried him away from the two friends. TK stepped forward, his eyebrows knitted in anger.

"What do you know about my brother?!" TK yelled.

"Only where to find him- but it's not as if you wanted to know that, is it?" Piedmon's voice carried over from behind the carousel.

"Of course I do!" TK paused. "But why should I trust you? You turned my friends into keychains!"

"Why should I _tell _you?" Piedmon shot back as he came into view again.

"Because… Because I can help the Digiworld if you tell me!"

"You're kidding! I'm not even supposed to be here, it's only the virus which lets me infiltrate this place again!" Piedmon disappeared once more.

TK's face grew angry. Putting his box down beside Patamon, he withdrew the knife and stomped up to the carousel, leaping aboard just as Piedmon began to appear again. It took him a few moments to steady himself, but once he had he began walking up the wooden platform, towards the mirrored panels at the back, by the core.

"Wh-what are you doing?!" Piedmon cried as TK began to prise off one of the mirrors which protected the heart of the carousel. He succeeded finally and gazed inside. Two little Pumpkinmon were labouring inside the core, panting as they pumped the handles which created the music and the turning motion of the huge carousel.

TK, in fury, pulled out the Pumpkinmon and put them down on the floor. The music and the turning began to stop as the handles wound down. Screaming, Piedmon didn't reach TK before he'd had a chance to put and end to the carousel music by sticking his knife through the music paper. It flapped sadly for a few moments and then ground to a grating, tearing stop. TK looked up at Piedmon who had stopped where he was when TK had destroyed the music scroll. It was impossible to tell whose eyes flared the most.

Suddenly Piedmon burst into tears and sat on the wooden floorboards.

"Waaaghh!! I was only having a little fun!"

"What, at the Pumpkinmon's expense?!" TK retorted as Piedmon continued to wail.

"I'll tell you, just leave me alone so I can get my baby started again!"

"Good." TK folded his arms and stood above Piedmon, the knife held tightly in one hand.

"That way…" sniffled Piedmon, pointing out to the south west, towards the beach. "Keep walking, eventually he'll call you." Piedmon was taken in a fit of tears again and TK leapt off the carousel, putting the kitchen knife back in his belt. Picking up the box, his step didn't falter, he didn't stop. Patamon chased after him, eventually flying up to his head.

They could still hear Piedmon's woeful crying.

"Are you sure we can trust him?" Patamon asked just as they started to walk into deep woodland again.

"No."

"Then why are we following his directions?"

"Because we don't have any other leads."

They walked quietly for a little while. Eventually, TK realised the sun was shining in his face, and it was gradually becoming a deeper purple.

"Night time." TK whispered, and Patamon sensed his body tense.

"It'll be okay, TK. We'll light a fire, and keep it lit all night."

"But we can't, it'll be a beacon to our enemies."

"Believe me, TK. Most of the digimon here have other things to worry about than you."

TK sat down where he was.

"If we have to rest, then I'm not moving from here." He said, stubbornly. "Where I can see the last of the sunlight."

* * *

Some time later, when the sun had fallen behind the rim of the ocean, TK found himself staring into the flames of the fire, covered in some old, fallen leaves. He eventually turned his gaze to the box he coveted. He carefully traced the wooden vines with his fingers, touching every nick and groove. He looked up and across to Patamon, who was sleeping peacefully on another pile of leaves.

A movement caught his eye. Instantly alerted, he turned as he heard the fire crackle as though it were being fed. He stared angrily at the white figure crouching by the fire, prodding it gently with a stick. Long flowing robes draped across the leafy beds he and Patamon lay in, white and shimmery like stardust. The figure turned and TK saw it had the face of a woman, thin and long and heart-shaped. The figure smiled comfortingly. TK felt soothed suddenly by it's prescence.

"Hello, Takeru." She said softly, her voice like tiny bells.

"Hello, obasan."

"Why haven't you opened your box yet?" She asked, leaving the stick in the fire and standing over TK, as does a mother over her young offspring. TK felt warmed by her presence, safe in her care. He proffered the box and replied,

"I am frightened, obasan." The figure shook her membranous wings and silver dust scattered the area. She knelt down in front of TK carefully and offered slender, slightly ponted fingers for the box. TK looked worried, but nevertheless handed it over.

She too traced the pattern of leaves and vines over the surface of the box.

TK watched. Finally he asked,

"Who are you? Are you digimon, or human?"

"Both…and yet neither." She smiled gently and stroked TK's face with a finger. "My name is Mamanamon."

TK heard something whisper her name. He turned around to look at Patamon, who was shaking and staring at her.

"M-Mamanamon…" Patamon whispered, and lowered his head in respect to her. Mamanamon smiled gently and lifted Patamon's head with her fingers.

"There is no need for that, little Patamon. You need not fear me, or worship me. In fact, I ask that you do not."

"B-but I thought that you were just a legend… The purest good against the purest evil…"

"For there to be perfect evil, little Patamon, there _must_ be perfect good. This is the law of averages."

"Then why haven't you come to save us before, Mamana?" Mamanamon looked forlorn.

"I was waiting the arrival of a chosen one. My power is great- but not without a human digidestined to entrust it to."

TK kept looking sullenly at the box. Mamanamon caught this, and handed it back to him.

"What is it, Mamana-san?"

"You will never know until you open it, baby Takeru."

"That's what everybody's been saying to me." TK pouted.

"That's because it is true." Mamanamon smiled lovingly.

"I don't know what it is. It scares me. I don't know why."

"There is a change inside that box, baby Takeru. Change frightens everybody. You don't know what's in it, but you don't know what's around the corner for you, either. Anthing could happen between now and the morning- you might never get a chance to open your box. Take all chances now, Takeru, and take them as though your life depends on them.

"Your box is vital in you finding your beloved brother.

"What is in there will help to save you, your brother, and this world."

"You mean… My brother really is alive?" TK's eyes shone. Mamanamon smiled gently.

"Yes. He is." She caressed his hair gently with her white, slightly illuminated fingers. TK felt tears spring to his eyes. She ran her slender fingers across his face, drying the tears in an instant.

"You will not cry in my prescence, baby Takeru. I will not allow it."

TK held up the box, almost as though asking her approval.

"Will you help me open it, Mamana?"

"It is not my place, angel. You must open your box on your own. But do not be afraid of what is inside, _embrace _it."

TK looked forlorn.

"Open your box, baby Takeru. And I promise that inside it, you will find answers.

"Once your gift is back within you, you must burn the box so that it can never be trapped again this way." Mamanamon stood, her tallness slightly imposing- but in a comforting way. TK reached out like a small child, wanting to be picked up. Mamanamon reached back, and stroked his fingers with the tips of her own.

"You will find a way, baby Takeru. I have all my trust vested in you." She leaned forward and pressed her lips to TK's forehead lightly- leaving behind a glittering star with a momentary life. Within seconds it had drifted to the wind in tiny particles of sparkle. She moved back and then turned away.

"Mamana…Mama-sama, don't go…" TK begged quietly. Mamanamon turned back.

"I will be back to watch your fire, tiny angel. It will not burn out tonight."

TK felt hot tears of need fill his eyes.

"Mama…na?" he sniffled. The being turned instantly, alerted by the child's cry in his voice.

TK felt as though he were being wrenched from his own mother, so strong was the being's connection with him. It was as though he had been born to her here, as though his Digiworld self had somehow been born from her body.

Regardless of TK's feeling's towards the peaceful being, hers were the instinctive, parental same towards him.

She padded softly back across the grass and knelt beside TK, rolling him over into her arms. Her body was warm, like meadow-sunlight, and a comfort in ways unremembered by him in months. He clung to her robes as though his life depended on how hard he could scrunch the soft, ethereal substance. He squeezed tightly to her, pushing his chest into her flowing gown and slender waist. She stroked his face and consoled him with soft sounds, pulled from the edge of her tongue. She smelled of clean linen and new bedsheets, and felt as soft as warm feather comforters.

"I don't…" he stumbled.

"Shh, baby Takeru. It will all wait for you tomorrow."

* * *

TK woke with a start. The area around him felt lonely and cold and he mourned the feeling of warmth and kindness he'd experienced whilst Mamanamon was there. The cold morning sun had begun to drift lazily upwards in the strange sky. TK yawned and brushed off what was left of the leaves scattered over him. The chilly morning raised goose pimples on TK's arms and he shivered.

Looking around, he spotted Patamon deep in his pile of leaves, and his box close by. TK yawned once more and rubbed his chest through the shirt. Through the cloud of semi-consciousness, he realised that it had been his first night's sleep without sedation in as long as he could figure.

"Hmph." He stated. He reached out for his box, tugging it across the ground towards him. He gazed again at the carvings on it, traced with his eyes the pretty vines that he could see perfectly with his eyes closed, in his mind's eye.

"Patamon? Are you awake?"

"No."

"Do you think I should open it?"

"I don't care." Patamon shuffled over in his leaves and turned his back to TK- making no secret of a want for more sleep. TK plucked a leaf out of his boot and turned to the fire- still burning faintly into ashes. Mamanamon had kept her promise. Looking around warily, thumb and forefinger across the box, he flipped the lid back on it's hinges.

He looked inside.

For a moment, nothing happened- then a white wisp waved lazily out of the box, rising slowly upwards. TK watched it, entranced, as it waved and wiggled in the chill wind from the sea. It stopped suddenly- as if shocked; and drifted towards TK's head. TK pulled away from it gently, slightly worried- until it snapped back and promptly smacked him on the forehead.

"Ow!" TK exclaimed, rubbing the sore spot. Opening his eyes- as instinct had forced them shut- he looked for the wisp. It was nowhere to be seen.

Little did TK know that the wisp was already part of him- part of him that had been stolen away two years ago and was now being reabsorbed into it's rightful place. A part of his incalculable mind. _His sanity_.

TK frowned.

"I'm sure there was… Patamon, did you see that?"

"See what?" Patamon rolled over and gazed at TK. TK frowned for a moment- then shook his head.

"I don't know. Maybe it was nothing."

Patamon sat up and looked TK up and down.

"What?" asked TK, good-naturedly.

"You sound different."

TK smiled

"Different in a good way, or a bad way?"

"Different in a _good_ way." TK looked a little confused. His eyes were concentrated on Patamon; his smile genuine, though light. Patamon wandered up to him and crawled up to his lap. Then up onto his shoulder. TK laughed.

"Patamon, what are you doing?! That tickles!"

Eventually Patamon reached TK's head. Then he rounded a knuckle and pounded on it.

"Hey, _ouch_!" exclaimed TK, batting at Patamon with his hand. Lifting Patamon up from his head, he held him, suspended in the air, a look of annoyance on his face.

"What are you doing?" He asked the hanging digimon. Patamon was grinning.

"All your emotions are as they should be, TK!"

TK blinked.

"And…?"

"You get mad, you smile and you react like you should- you haven't been!" TK scowled in confusion and put the little creature down.

"Whatever." He shrugged and stood. Patamon used what little strength he had to fly up to TK's head. TK looked up as Patamon's face peered over the edge of his hat.

"And you would never let me say that."

"What? 'Whatever'?"

"Yup."

TK looked down.

"It was a Matt thing." Patamon suddenly felt his heart sink.

"'_Was_', TK?" TK looked out over the ocean.

"Yeah. _Was_."

"What makes you say '_was_'?"

TK looked at the box, which he had dropped to the ground when he'd been smacked by the wisp. He looked back up, up at the trees above him, then at the grass around him.

"I don't know. Everything makes sense now, Patamon, where it didn't before. I don't understand why, but so much just slips into place. And Matt…" TK sighed, his eyes misting over. "Matt…doesn't fit anymore." Patamon was silent for a moment.

"You're not giving up now, are you?" His voice was quiet.

"No. I'm moving on. I still remember that Mamanamon said something about Matt being alive- and until I find proof either way, I won't stop looking. But…"

"You're sane now, TK. That's what makes the decisions harder. It-"

"What do you mean, 'I'm sane now'? It doesn't work like that." TK stopped and paused, remembering the wisp. "Or does it?"

"Maybe it does here?" Patamon suggested gently.

"Mamanamon said something about the box, right? I have to burn it." TK swooped down on the box, lifting it up in his hands. Patamon nearly toppled off TK's head, such was the ferocity of the movement. TK took a deep breath and opened the box again.

It was empty.

TK sighed.

"Mamanamon promised there'd be answers in here. I don't see any."

"Yes you do." Replied Patamon softly. "You've found them already." TK didn't take his misty eyes from the box as he tossed it into the dying embers of the fire. The flames flared suddenly, entwining and entertaining the wooden box.

TK watched it as it burned.

His arms were folded as he stood, watching the embers die down again, an hour or so later. He put his fingers to his eyes and sniffed.

"TK?" asked Patamon gently.

"I don't think I _like _being sane, Patamon."

Patamon coughed viscidly, and TK lifted him off his head, a worried look on his face.

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Yes." Patamon breathed heavily when he could do it at all. "You can cure the Digiworld." TK smirked sadly.

"What, all by myself?"

"Yes."

"Sure. I can do that. That's why there's at least five Digidestined at a time." TK scoffed and put Patamon back onto his head.

"Actually, you can. Don't you dare have a crisis of confidence right now, TK, we're too close!"

TK didn't reply; he just sullenly booted over the remaining embers, attempting to put them out before he and Patamon moved on. He was crossed for a moment over which of two things to concentrate on- his rumbling stomach telling he hadn't eaten in about a day, or a tiny glint shining at the bottom of the pile of ashes. He chose the glint, and he bent down, covering his naked hand with his long sleeve.

Brushing hot ashes out of the way, he grabbed at the shiny object. He pulled it out of the mass of grey and promptly threw it on the ground away from him as it was still very hot through his sleeve.

He and Patamon moved in, gazing at the tiny round object.

It was a coin; silver in colour and with tiny symbols circling the outside edge. In the centre was a pentogram- uneven, but definitely a pentogram. At the centre of the pentogram was a crescent moon, tilted slightly towards the far line of the reversed five-point star.

"What is it?" Patamon asked.

"Well, it's a coin." TK replied, still looking closely at it. Patamon bopped him on the head.

"Ow!"

"I know that, I _mean_ what _is _it? You know- what's it for?"

"I have no idea."

TK picked it up carefully from the ground, expecting it still to be hot. Although very warm, it was just cool enough for him to hold in his hand.

He flipped it over, and on the other side was written a tiny verse.

'By all spirits blessed in the 12th house of the eclipse, in the sign of Pisces for all those who dare to dream, may all evil be trapped within before the ruling of the 13th house in the 13th hour.'

TK blinked as he read the verse out to Patamon. They shared a blank look and both said,

"Whatever."

"I have no idea what this is, but I guess it might be handy to take with us." TK shrugged and put the tiny talisman in his pocket.

"Where do you suppse it came from?" Asked Patamon. TK shook his head as he continued to kick over and stamp on the ashes.

"I don't know, Patamon. It certainly wasn't there when we lit the fire."

"Do you suppse Mamanamon might have put it there?" Patamon suggested, a little awe in his voice still for the white figure. TK sighed.

"Maybe. But then if she wanted me to have it, wouldn't she have just given it to me?"

"Probably." Patamon sighed at the rebuff of his query.

"Maybe it was in the box somehwere? Under the lining, or in the actual wood, even?"

"Could be any of those things, TK. Let's move on and get breakfast- I'm hungry." Patamon said, irritatedly.

"Okay. I'm a little hungry myself." TK's stomach backed up the comment by rumbling loudly.

Some time later, munching on an orange fruit they'd discovered in previous visits was safe and tasty, they found themselves wandering towards the beach.

High craggy rocks were beginning to come into their vision, grey and tall like stone monolith men. TK felt a feeling of dread as he approached them- and heard a sound he hadn't heard for a long time- a sound that tipped him almost back into insanity. He stopped immediately, all thoughts vapourising in his skull but one.

"Patamon? Patamon, do you hear that?!"

"What, TK?" Patamon's voice was tinged with worry.

"It's Matt." TK's eyes filled with hot tears. "He's crying again." TK began to panic. "I thought I could only hear that when I was insane, Patamon?! I thought I wasn't supposed to hear him now!"

"Then maybe you're supposed to hear it now!" Patamon instructed, trying to calm TK a little.

Patamon flew into the air as TK broke into a sprint, instinct drawing his feet to a spot of dark on the tall grey walls. As they drew closer, they saw that it was, in fact, a cave.

TK stopped as he reached it. Patamon, panting heavily and flapping desperately, drew up behind the young man.

And the tears that had threatened to spill finally did so.

"Do you hear him, Patamon?" TK whispered. They paused, and finally Patamon spoke.

"Yes." Was Patamon's whispered reply. "I hear him this time, TK. I hear him."

TK walked into the cave opening, the air instantly becoming cooler due to the sun failing to ever strike the dark space.

"TK!" Patamon exclaimed, taking on the tone of a worried mother. "You can't go in there! It could be dangerous!"

"I don't care, Patamon." TK replied, still walking.

"Well, I do! I don't want to be killed just yet!"

"Then don't come!" TK turned on the little digimon as he stopped behind him. And as he turned back to his path, the world went dark, and he remembered.

Thank you for reading this far :) One more chapter to come! :-D


	3. Chapter 3

__

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Digimon. All Digimon characters are owned by Toei and A. Hongo and such. I am making no money from this fic. It is a just-for-fun project. The only bit I own is my own characters and the way the words are put together.

Author's Note; 18th June 2008 – Please remember, edits may not quite appear as you remember them, as I'm hashing together the beta and the original uploads. I do not plan to come back and amend this work (if I start picking holes in it, I'll never stop XD)__

_**Digiland**_

**Act Three: The Lair of the Enemy**

"He's not in here, Matt." TK said, shivering. They looked around the cave. TK looked up at his brother and listened to his breathing, heard every iota of annoyance in his voice as he spoke.

"_Then where could he _be_?" Matt cursed quietly. He walked forward._

"_Gabumon wouldn't do into the dark without you, Matt. Not if he could help it." TK responded, walking forward to his brother._

"_I upset him. I _have _to find him. What if something's wrong, what if he's in danger- he can't digivolve without me!" Matt turned to look at his brother, and TK saw the haunted look in his eyes._

"_It's what you get for speaking before you think." TK said quietly. Matt snapped around and TK instantly lifted his hands defensively._

"_I didn't mean to upset him!" Matt snapped. TK rolled his eyes._

"_I am _not _the person you want to fight with. Let's just keep looking, huh?"_

"_Hmph."_

_Matt turned away again. TK watched after him as he walked into the darkness ahead of them._

"_Hey, there's an entrance down here…" Matt's voice was faint, and it sounded as though he were in the distance, and not the few feet away from TK that he was._

"_Let's wait for the others, huh, Matt? There's something not right about this place."_

"_Yeah, but you never liked caves." Matt's voice came back at him._

"_Yeah, well, just because I don't like caves, doesn't mean I don't know a bad feeling when I get one!" TK called back, a little annoyance in his voice. Matt's face loomed out of the darkness for a second, making the nervous TK jump. Matt smiled a little, then his face dropped._

"_We should wait for Tai and the others." TK reiterated._

"_TK, Gabumon could be in trouble. I-I shouted at him for no reason, I… You've got to understand. He could be in trouble. I have to find him now, I can't wait for the others."_

"Please_, Matt. You don't even know that he's in there."_

"_No, but I-"_

_They were cut off by a shrill cry._

"_Gabumon!" cried Matt, and within moments he was gone, into the darkness._

"_Matt!_

"_Matt, I'm not going in there after you!_

"_I-I can't!"_

_TK moved forward into the cave, nervous at the echoes in the darkness. He could hear his brother's footsteps. He finally chased after them for a few steps, then stopped again, and turned around to the receeding cave entrance and what was left of the light._

"_Matt!" TK cried._

"_Stay there TK, and don't do anything stupid! I have to find Gabumon!"_

"_Don't call me stupid; you know I hate it! And I'm old enough to look after myself!"_

_His brother's cries were swallowed by the darkness ahead of TK. He looked into it for a while._

"_This cave _can't _be that big…" He stepped forward, but was suddenly engulfed by fear._

"_Wh-why can't I follow him!?_

"_Matt!"_

"_TK! What's going on!?" TK turned on his heels as he heard Tai approach, his feet tap-tapping on the solid ground of the cave._

"_I don't know, I-" TK was cut off by another scream. This time it was a voice he knew too well._

"_Matt!?"_

_Fear forgotten, attributes betrayed, TK shook off all apprehension and raced forward, only to be yanked back by Tai._

"_Tai!?"_

"_No, TK, you stay here! I'll get him!" Tai raced forward, closely followed by the just-arrived Davis and Izzy._

"_No, you're not leaving me here! Matt!" TK raced after them, into the darkness. The voice abhorred his ears again, weaker this time, less fight in it. TK could feel tears welling in his eyes._

"_Matt…"_

"_TK, stay!" TK heard Tai's voice instruct. He tried to fight the weakness of his legs, the distinct sensation that he was going nowhere._

_One more strangled cry._

"_Maaatt!" TK screamed. Finally, his feet seemed to find themselves and he ran-straight into Tai. Or at least, who he assumed was Tai- he couldn't see a thing in front of him. He felt hands on his shoulders, and saw water- thin lines of water- shimmer in the minimal reflection of daylight off the walls._

"_Turn around, TK, and leave…" It was Tai's voice all right._

"_Wh-what do you mean, turn around and leave!?" TK felt himself being turned and pushed towards the exit._

"_Just turn around and leave…"_

_As they saw daylight, TK turned to face Tai, digging in his heels and refusing to move._

"_What?! Why are we leaving!? We don't know where Matt is yet!" TK saw Davis look away. He looked back up to Tai- and saw that the trails of water he had seen were his tears._

"_What? What!?" TK asked frantically, bunching Tai's jacket in his fists._

"_Your brother… It's not…" Davis started, but blushed and looked away again. His eyes shimmered in the dusky half-light._

"_My brother _what_? My-brother-what!?" TK cried, his heart sinking, his brain trying to keep it in his chest._

"_He's dead, TK." Tai said, looking TK in the eye, but not touching him, not approaching him at all. TK let Tai go and stood back, looking into his eyes, looking for signs of the joke he was sure this was. He stepped further back and leaned his head to one side. Tai's face was stoic._

"_No. Uh-uh. This isn't real." TK said, breathing deeply. "It doesn't end this quickly! It doesn't end like that!"_

"_It does this time, TK." Tai's voice was tight._

"_No. No, you're all wrong! You can't see in there, you can't possibly know!" TK screamed, tears streaming down his face as he ran, ran for the entrance. Tai grabbed him, wrestled him to the ground, but TK was in no mood to be restrained. He clawed at the dirt with his fingers, half dragging Tai across the ground._

"_Let go! _Let go of me_! I want to see it!" TK's fingers were so deep in the dirt that he was raking it up between his fingers, the tips bleeding at the minute amount of ground-up shells in the earth. He tried to get purchase of his feet against the still struggling Tai, but couldn't. Instead he snapped his body around, throwing some of the dirt at Tai's face, frantically trying to make him let go, to make him release his grip._

"_TK! Stop it!" Yelled Tai, angrily, but TK wasn't listening. He sat right up and slapped Tai again and again, tears constantly battling with his face. Tai finally let go as one of TK's slaps came too close to his eye. It only took a moment for TK to free himself, even as Izzy and Davis approached to help restrain him._

_He escaped them, and ran into the darkness._

"_Matt!? Maaatt!!" TK's voice was harsh and scratchy, and he pushed himself from wall to wall with weak hands._

"_Maaaaaaatt!!"_

"_Matt, for God's sake, where are you!?" TK sobbed frantically, still searching with his hands._

_He stopped when he felt something wet and warm._

"_Oh no…" The words were out before he could stop them._

"_Oh no…It's not you…Please, _God_, tell me it's not you…"_

_He could smell blood. The acrid, somehow sweet smell of rich blood, the life that runs a body._

"_M-Maybe it's not you… Maybe it's not…" TK got off his knees where he appeared to have fallen and crept further along the walls with his hands. They were wet hands, and TK refused to allow his brain to explain that to him. Refused to let his brain explain what it knew to be real._

_And then, he could hear crying. He heard a voice he knew, a voice he loved. A voice that had been with him from day one- a voice he could always recognise when he couldn't see a face._

"_Oh Matt, don't cry…Don't cry…" TK could feel tears on his own face, wet, and somehow comforting. He wiped them away with a wet hand, and the smell of blood was almost overpowering. He snapped his hand away from his face._

"_Matt!? MAAAATT!!"_

_He felt hands around his waist suddenly- warm hands, but terrifying ones. He screamed._

_And screamed._

_And screamed._

_And Tai turned him around and slapped him._

_And TK continued to scream, finally burying his face into Tai's chest._

"_TK!?_

"_TK!!"_

"TK?" TK snapped his head up as he heard Patamon's nervous voice. He took a deep breath and wiped the tears from his face.

"I'm okay."

"Sure." Patamon said softly- but disbelievingly. TK tried to regulate his uneven breathing and looked around him. Patamon decided not to notice how much his friend was shaking as he did so.

"This is the same cave, Patamon.

"That's why I can hear him crying."

TK froze.

"TK, what is it? What's the-" Patamon began, and then gasped.

Matt stood, lening against the cave wall, with his hands in his pockets. He looked sadly at his brother through a lock of blonde hair. TK still shook heartily, now more than ever. He couldn't open his mouth at first; it was as though it had been sewn shut.

"'N-niichan?" TK murmured. Matt looked into TK's eyes and then turned away, hands still in his pockets.

"N-no, don't go! Where are you going!?" TK asked, running forward, trying to outpace his brother. Just as he did so, the image disappeared.

"No…Don't…

"Don't go."

TK stopped.

"Why did you have to go again?" He whispered.

"It wasn't Matt, TK." Patamon advised carefully, as he lew up behind TK. TK turned to his small companion.

"I know." He whispered sadly. "The real Matt would never really leave me."

A cold, haunting voice drifted across the inside of the cave.

"_Oh but he _did_, Takeru, he _did_…_"

"Who's that?" TK called out into the darkness ahead of him.

Then he heard more crying.

"Oh, don't do this to me…" TK whispered.

"_Don't you listen to the voices anymore, Takeru_?" The cold voice drifted again.

"_TK?_"

TK heard his name being called and froze. He hadn't heard that voice call his name in two years.

"Matt? Matt, are you actually in here?!"

"_Why don't you come and find out, Takeru?"_ the other, more whispery voice called again.

"TK?" Patamon asked as he saw the look of determination set in on TK's face. He walked forwards.

"TK!?"

TK walked through the darkness, ignoring the calls of his digimon. He walked into the blackness, whole body shaking, trying not to bite off his tongue with his chattering teeth.

"_That's it, my young friend…Come home to us…_"

Time seemed to freeze for a minute, and then speed up.

TK opened his eyes and found himself in a small room lit with a myriad of little red lights- tiny candles behind red glass shades. It was as though he had been sleepwalking; he had no recollection of walking farther than ten feet, but he seemed to have found this tiny place all by himself. He walked forward, into the centre of the room.

The walls were covered in tiny silver mirrors, each one making up a mosaic of little reflections; reflections of the scattered pieces of TK. The floor of the circular room was covered in a mosaic, clearly depicting a blue sky with puffy white coulds and tiny birds. TK wondered at it's contrast with the hot red walls.

The last time he'd seen red like that was-

"_-light the fire, TK." TK looked at Tai out of the corner of his eye as he tried to hand him a glowing splint. TK looked away as Tai moved closer. Some distant and grounded part of him heard Tai sigh. He sensed Tai move away and the corner of his vision was taken with red and gold, flames beginning to overcome the dry kindling. It was a tall pyre; they'd searched for hours to find enough wood and straw and anything that would burn._

_It was six feet high. Tai had considered it a fitting height, but TK refused to believe at all and certainly would not light the pyre._

"_He's not in it." TK whispered hoarsely. Tai dropped the splint onto the pyre and turned to TK as it burned behind him._

"_TK…?"_

"_He's not in it. There's no body. He's _not _dead." TK wouldn't look at the pyre as it burned, sending smoke into the night sky. The stars twinkled mercilessly as TK dared them to burn out, begged them to turn into shining stardust that would help him search for his oniichan in the darkness of the cave._

_But he was too afraid._

_Too afraid he would be proved wrong. _

"_TK, sometimes you have to accept-"_

"_You didn't look hard enough!" TK interrupted Tai, and glared. "You're too happy to let him go! You don't want him to live, do you!?"_

"_TK, I-"_

"_Do you!?"_

"_Of course I do!" Tai yelled back, the wind catching the pyre's flames and fanning them, suddenly raising them up to God._

"_You never wanted him! You didn't try hard enough to find him! I need him, I'll find him!" TK stamped away, back towards the cave. Tai raced after him and grabbed him roughly by the shoulders._

"_TK, you can't understand how much I wanted to find him alive-"_

"_You weren't long enough!"_

"_There was- I saw the body, but-"_

"_No you didn't! There was no body! There was no 'dead Matt'!!"_

"_There _was_ TK, and God, it hurts so much. But you have to-"_

"_No!!"_

_TK tore himself free and ran again towards the cave. Gentle spats of water struck his face as the sky opened up and the rain began. It sizzled into the empty pyre behind him as he moved through the darkness, weak and shaking._

_Suddenly he was on the ground as Tai tackled him from behind._

"_Why won't you let me go in there!?" TK screamed._

"_Because if you see it, you'll-"_

"_See what?! There's nothing to see!" TK turned back, dragging Tai along in the dirt behind him._

"_I want my brother! I want my oniichan!"_

"_If there's nothing to see, why do you want to go!?"_

_TK started to sob. Huge, choking sobs that left him breathless._

"_I…want…my…oniichan…" he sobbed, begging the ground to sacrifice his brother to him- begging for Tai to be lying. Tai moved up slowly to trap TK further. Davis came alongside them, tears in his eyes. He wanted to do something, wanted to break this grief which held his friend so captive._

"_T…K? I'm sure Matt wouldn't want you to be this upset… I'm sure he'd-"_

"_You don't know _anything _about my brother!" TK spat._

"_No, maybe not, but I would have liked to-"_

"_None of you could ever care about him like I do! Tai, lemme go!!"_

"_No, TK! You're a danger to yourself _and _to the rest of us!" TK managed to get a hand free, and Davis was in front of him, desperately trying to get through to his friend._

"_TK, I _understand_…"_

_Within seconds, TK had whipped up the free hand and it was at Davis' collar,_

"_You can't _possibly _understand!! Stop trying to help me!" Davis scowled suddenly and tore TK's hand away from his throat._

"_I have to help you! You're my friend!"_

_Tai snapped one hand down over the arm TK had free. TK buried his hot face into the cool earth. He tried to breathe it in, tried to take in the smell of the neutral earth, but all he could smell was blood. _

_Tai could feel TK sobbing into the ground, and let him have a little freedom with his feet. He was literally sitting on him, spreadeagled across his body in his frantic effort to stop TK hurting himself._

"_Why…? Why have a pyre with no body in it…?" TK sobbed weakly._

"_We did that for you, TK…So you would understand that even though there was no body, Matt's gone…" Tai wept, his hands still tight against TK's shoulders._

"_So then where's the body!? What did you see?!" screamed TK, trying to wriggle out from under Tai again._

"_You're not ready for it, TK. The body just…"_

"_Didn't you check it!? Didn't you see if oniichan was still in it!?"_

"_How could I when it-"_

"_When it wasn't there!! When it wasn't there!!"_

"_TK, you can't jump to-"_

_TK struggled again, and Tai could hear his bones cracking together._

"_I'm coming, oniichan! I'm coming!! I'm coming to help you!" screamed TK._

_The pyre burned higher behind them, hungry for more kindling, hungry for more food, more spirits. A body._

_Like a spider in it's death throes, TK still struggled until he could struggle no more, until his lungs hurt so much he could hardly breathe._

_As the pain and remaining strength began to subside, Tai released him a little._

"_Are you done now, TK? Are you done?" His voice was gentle and unfocused and TK tried to answer- but all that came out was a sick croak. Davis gently stroked at TK's dirtied blonde hair, plucking out the bits of ground TK had picked up along the way. He was too weak to fight it, too tired to keep his eyes open._

_Tai wiped tears from his face, as did Davis._

"_Is he gonna be okay?" Davis asked, uncertainty clear in his voice. Tai shrugged._

"_If it was _your_ brother, would _you_ be?"_

"_Don't…don't talk about me like 'm not here…" TK panted as Tai gently gave more and more of his body back to him. Tai crept off him completely and gently put a hand on his shoulder. He stroked it gently, trying to get some peace back into TK's shattered body and spirit._

_Tears filled Tai's eyes as he looked into TK's pale face. His eyes were opening and closing in time with his breathing, and there was some blood on his face from a nosebleed. Too much pressure built up in his body whilst Tai was sitting on him. _

"_I didn't hurt you, did I? Not really?" Tai asked, worried. TK kicked out a foot disconsolately in a response. And took a deep breath._

_And begain to wail mournfully._

_The wailing was interspersed with tiny cut offs, where TK's strength gave out. But still he continued to wail, his eyes dry._

"_TK? TK, are you okay?" This was too much for Tai to take. His eyes filled with tears and he lifted TK up from the ground, forced his limp body into his lap._

"_Come on, TK… Don't do this…" Davis begged weakly, tears in his own eyes at the pain of their friend._

_The wailing became more frantic, more desperate as Tai tried to stop TK doing it, as he put his hand over his mouth. TK didn't have the strength to move him off, or even to speak coherant words, but he could convey his pain through his simple, unadulterated voice._

"_Oh God, TK, stop it…Please, _stop_…" Tai begged, sobbing finally. With his last ouce of strength, TK reached up to Tai's neck and clutched it, looking into his eyes. Tai brushed his face with his fingertips, gently trying to get TK to stop, trying to get his pain to end just enough for him to fall asleep._

_But sleep was far from TK's mind._

_In fact, TK's mind was far from his mind._

_The pyre burned hungrily, regardless of the suffering little boy in it's field. As Davis looked up, along with Tai, the centre of it crashed in upon itself, sending up fire sparks high into the air._

_It did not care for suffering._

_It did not care._

TK was sobbing. He hadn't realised it, but he was. Shivering, he ran his arm across his face and sat down in the middle of the room. He felt Patamon climb into his lap.

"TK?"

There was no answer.

"Don't want to talk right now, huh? That's okay." Patamon said softly, his voice echoing slightly in the small room- a scientific anomaly in itself. TK continued to cry.

"Poor Takeru." The voice was quiet and sibilant. TK looked up as he sensed a presence in the room. His face red, he sniffed as he watched this shadow-demon enter his space.

It knelt down in front of him. TK backed away- it smelt of blood. He stood, climbing up the mirrored walls with his hands. He brought one up to his chest, suddenly- a mirror shard had cut him. He gazed as blood oozed lazily down his hand.

He looked up at the figure, and it smiled.

"Who are _you_?" TK asked. It walked around the front of him, pacing a semi-circle.

"My name is not important. But if you must know it, it is Daikiraimon."

"What are you doing here?"

"More to the point, Takeru, what are _you _doing here?" TK looked cagey.

"Looking for my brother." He moved away from the wall a little, wiping his hand on his shirt.

"Oh." The word was simple, and yet had more undertones than could be calculated. It was a gentle, soft, breathy word- one too full of hidden secrets. TK scowled and moved forward quickly. On closer inspection, the 'it' seemed to be more of a 'she'- although the borderline was thin.

"Have you seen him? His name is Matt."

"I believe I have seen him, yes." Daikiramon smoothed, the snake-like sibilance still clear in her words.

"Where? Where did you see him, I mean, is he okay?" TK asked frantically. Suddenly, he caught sight of Patamon from the corner of his eye. Patamon was shivering in a corner of the room, trying to shy as far away from Daikiraimon as he could. TK took his eyes away from the figure in front of him and placed them firmly on his companion.

"Patamon?"

"Y-you remember… The whirlpool… When we were defeating Ken…?"

"Yeah?"

"TK, don't you feel it? This room is full of evil!"

"Oh… is _that _what that is?" Daikiraimon smirked.

"What do you want?" TK asked, an ever increasing feeling of dread overtaking him. He hadn't thought about Patamon's words before, but now that he had mentioned them, he _did _sense an inordinate amount of evil in the room.

"Oh, Takeru, I already have what I want. What is it that _you _want? Why don't you tell me?"

"You know what I want. I've already said that-"

"Oh! Your brother… That's right, I remember."

"Where was it you saw him?"

"You know, I don't recall." Daikiraimon put her fingers to her forehead in a perplexed position.

"But you said that-" TK stood away from the wall suddenly, his fists clenched and a scowl on his face.

"What did I say?" Daikiraimon interrupted.

"That you'd seen Matt!"

"Did I?"

"Yes!"

"Are you sure?"

"_Yes_!!"

"I don't recall that. Still, if you say so…" Daikiraimon glanced away from TK for a moment.

"What _is _it with you?" TK asked angrily. Daikiraimon returned her gaze to the young man in her room.

"What is it with _you_?" she returned quickly, her eyes flashing and a small smile curling the corner of her thin lips.

TK took a good look at her.

She stood about six feet, and was covered in black material from head to toe. Her green eyes were deep set into her head, and her smile was blood-red. She wore a long, pointed hood, almost like a monk's habit, only it was black. She wore her fingernails long- so long that they curved at the end, coming back to the hand.

"Look, I really need to…to find my brother." TK pleaded after a deep breath. Daikiraimon took a sharp breath and replied,

"I didn't think you wanted him anymore. So I took him. I took him away." She put her head to one side, and placed a coy finger on her lips. Her pale face gave nothing away.

"…What?" uttered TK incredulously.

"I took him away."

"But he wasn't yours to take! Wh-what do you mean…? Did you hurt my brother?!" TK stood forward again, the scowl deepening. Daikiraimon shook her head and tutted.

"You didn't deserve to have a brother. You didn't deserve your Yamato."

"What?!"

"Think about it. How many times did you take him for granted?"

TK was silent. Her words had instantly touched a nerve.

"How many times did you rip him off? How many times did you use your 'cuteness' to get your own way? True, it was partly his fault for being a soft touch, but still, Takeru, but still…"

"Stop it."

"How many times did you rip him off with that coin? Hmm? You know, the coin with tails on both sides?"

TK gaped.

"How did you know about that?"

"How many times, Takeru? Did you lose count?"

TK was silent. Vainly, he tried to recall all the times in his head that Matt had actually fallen for that same trick. He couldn't remember and momentarily hated himself.

"It was six separate times, Takeru. Six times. Most people would have been guilt-ridden at two, but not our double-sided little Takeru."

"Don't say that."

"Why? It's true, isn't it?"

"No."

"What, you weren't guilt-ridden, or you're not double-sided?"

TK was silent for a moment.

"You're twisting my words so that-"

"You know yourself, he's never been able to stay mad at you. Do you know how soul-destroying it is to be taken advantage of all the time, Takeru? Do you know how he felt when he found out about that coin? Like many brothers would have, he could've knocked seven bells out of you- but he didn't. He kept it to himself that he knew. And you yourself might say that you know how he felt, but you don't."

TK sat down on the floor and crossed his legs. He thought, suddenly, of the few fights he'd had with his brother, of the pain he had sometimes caused him- both on purpose and inadvertantly. Admittedly, there was more of the second kind of hurt, but nonetheless it made him think hard.

Daikiraimon put her hands behind her back and her head to one side. Tk didn't look up at her, didn't speak. She circled him a little, stopping now and then to stare.

"You killed his heart- and I took it."

"You _did _take him away from me, didn't you?" TK whispered. He watched her circle again, getting closer and closer.

"No, you _sent_ him away from you. There _is_ a difference. You took his breath from his breast and darkened it with pain."

"Darkened his breath?"

"Yes. Did you never hear the darkness in his breath? The sweet, sickly hiss of suffering?"

TK looked up. Daikiraimon lowered herself down to TK's eye level.

"Feel good about yourself, Takeru?"

"Go away."

"Feel _good_ about yourself, Takeru?"

"Go _away_!"

"_Feel good _about yourself, Takeru?"

"_Leave me alone_!" TK covered his ears and shut his eyes.

"Oh, See no evil, Hear no evil… But what of the monkey Speak no evil?"

"I don't speak evil of him!"

"No, not now that he is _dead_!"

"No! I never did! And he's _not _dead!"

"Doesn't matter. The damage is done. And maybe... Maybe he hates you now. Maybe that's why he left you."

"He wouldn't." TK said instantly.

"Wouldn't he? Wouldn't that be awful, Takeru? To be hated by your own brother?"

"He wouldn't hate me…" TK whispered. He looked around at the tiny room, suddenly engulfed by it. Daikiraimon got down to her hands and knees and crept around TK, wrapping her sylph-like body around him like a snake.

"Why? He's not human, like you? Of course he could hate you."

"I should never have hurt him…" TK's voice was quiet. He leapt suddenly as he felt Patamon brush against him. He was still shaking.

"Don't let her talk to you like that, TK… You know Matt never hated you…"

"I didn't mean it."

"Didn't mean what, Takeru?" The predator smiled.

"I didn't mean it…"

"Didn't mean to hurt him, or didn't mean to get caught?"

"I shouldn't have…" Tears filled TK's eyes.

"TK…" warned Patamon.

"Shouldn't have... Shouldn't have done those things..." TK trailed off as he understood what she was trying to do, exactly at the moment Patamon bit her. She cursed and flung Patramon off across the room. Bitter anger filled TK's mouth at that, and at the snap realisation of her easy manupulation of him.

"_Bitch"_

"Yes." She smiled widely. "Just as you are a bastard brother who knows not a good thing."

TK was speeechless at her words. He got to his feet, as did she. His fists were clenched to his sides and tears filled his eyes in frustration. His hand instinctively went to his belt, and he found his knife nestling there. Daikiraimon saw it and smiled disarmingly.

"No, I don't think so, Takeru." She lifted her hand and the knife floated away from TK's belt. She clenched the hand tightly, and the knife burst into coloured digi-shards, even as TK reached out for it.

His silence was stunned and pained.

"Let me show you something, Takeru. Let me show you something." She cooed gently. TK tried to move away, but was halted by the wall again. The room really was very small.

TK's eyes were quickly drawn to the centre of the room, where a faint light began to glow. The centre floor circle suddenly burst into light, sending shards of the bright substance everywhere. The light was blinding almost, and stretched from floor to ceiling.

In it, was a figure.

As TK squinted his eyes shut to truly see, he could see a cross. A crucifixion in progress. A death most cruel and painful, and lengthy to boot. As TK stepped forward unconciously, he could see more clearly the form on the cross.

It was thin, ribs could clearly be seen at chest level.

Blonde hair covered the face of the figure.

Nails driven in through palms and feet, the origin of the stigmata.

TK's face was slow in it's reaction. As his brain recognised the signals it was being sent, he also recognised the figure. His hand drifted to his mouth and he shook his head slowly.

"Brother..." he whispered, the tears in his eyes hot and overflowing.

"You have no right to call him that." Daikiraimon whispered, right by his ear.

"My God." TK reached out one hand towards the image and the loss on his face when his hand passed through it was palpable. It was a hologram.

"You worship him, do you not, Takeru?"

"No."

"Do you _not_, Takeru?"

"_No_."

"You worship him, do you not, Takeru?"

There was a short pause.

"Yes"

"Then he is your God, is he not, Takeru?

"He is your God, is he not, Takeru?"

"Yes."

"Then he must be crucified like a God, Takeru. Did you not crucify him yourself with your sometime-actions?" TK lowered his head.

"Yes."

"Then all I show you now is what he felt inside."

The figure lifted it's head hesitatingly. With empty eyes, it gazed around the room, unfocused. TK's heart jumped at the sight of his brother's face. He tried to reach out for him again, knowing that it was a hologram, but also knowing he had to touch his brother, to free him from his bonds somehow. The need was touchable, tasteable, wanting and begging…

As the figure tried to speak, it's voice was washed with pain and sadness, grief and loneliness.

It spoke it's brother's name, it's voice broken with tears.

"Can't you hear him crying, Takeru? Can't you hear him crying?"

"Yes." TK wept.

"Go to Him, Takeru. Go to Him and heal His pain. Take Him down from His cross."

"I can't find Him. I have searched and searched. Every night I sleep with His pain on my chest, knowing his death and knowing there was more I could have done; that I could have searched harder."

Daikiraimon mock-gasped.

"Oh! Did you hear that, Takeru? Did you hear it? You admitted he is _dead_."

"No! It was a mistake! I didn't mean to say it, I-"

"TK…"

TK's head shot back up. The image in the centre of the room had disappeared, and TK looked around for fragments of it, frantically. He stared at the tall, domed ceiling, indifferent in it's cold wooden surface.

"Matt?! Matt, where are you!?"

Daikiraimon moved away from TK, tutting. He looked at her, panicky, as she spoke.

"Hearing voices again, Takeru? Maybe we should put you back in that dark, cold building, in your dark, cold room, in your dark, cold bed…"

"_No!_" TK cried. "I'm not mad anymore! I found my sanity, I-"

"Did you?"

"Yes!" TK looked frantically around the room, eventually taking his fists to the wall and knocking out tiny mirrored pieces of tile and letting them drop to the floor. He was searching for a way out; his entrance seemed now to be closed- if it had ever been there at all.

"Why are you doing this!?" TK wept, still smashing the wall.

"That doesn't look like the work of a sane person to me, Takeru."

"_Why are you doing this!?_" TK screamed, letting himself slide down the wall, closing his eyes to Daikiraimon's world.

"Because I can." Daikiraimon's first answer was short, and too simple. "Because that's my virus out there, Takeru, and I like it that way. I made that virus that way- I caused the fight between Gabumon and Matt. I lured your brother in here to me, because I knew that if he was gone the foundations of your group would slide. The Digidestined. Pah! Split you into pieces and you're nothing!"

"Where's my brother?" TK's voice and heart steeled suddenly, his words mixing into little more than a growl.

"Now now now, Takeru. See here. Let this comfort you." Daikiraimon fished about in her clothing until she came out with a small, wooden box.

TK looked between Daikiraimon and the box warily, his breathing strong and deep with anger.

"I've just about had my fill of, little wooden boxes. Thank you." TK said, no grace in his retort.

"Take it." Daikiraimon's order left no rom for argument. TK hesitated before taking the box out of her hands and cradling it in his lap. As he looked at it, the wheels of recognistion slowly turned in his head.

"I know this box…"

"I should think so." Daikiraimon replied, a small snarl on her face. "You let your brother take the wrap for breaking it." TK gasped as her words forced knowledge and remembrance into his head.

"Momma's music box… I always loved it. Always got told to not touch it. Got told how Matt could look at it because he was bigger than me, and knew how to make the music. He always knew how to make the music. To make music at all…"

"You decided you wanted to hear the music one day, didn't you, Takeru?"

"Yes. And Matt wouldn't make the music. So _I _wanted to make the music…"

"But you dropped it, didn't you?" Daikiraimon smoothed, her voice soft and hypnotic.

"Yes." TK traced his finger over the smooth walnut wood. Inlaid under the thick layer of smooth laminate, was a shamisen surrounded by blossoms and dasies; celebrations of the differing colours of wood.

"I didn't mean to drop it…" TK's voice was small and wounded as he fingered the edge of the box. As he liften the edge of the wood by accident, a single note of music trailed out of the box sadly.

"Of course you didn't. You never meant to hurt anybody; it's not your way." Daikiraimon's voice was still soft and gently soothing.

"And your brother found you with the broken music box, didn't he?"

"Yes."

"And he took it out of your hands. And tried to fix it. Didn't he?"

"Yes."

"And Mommy found him with the box in his hands, broken. Didn't she?"

"Yes…" TK's eyes filled with tears.

"It was her special thing… And you broke it."

"Yes."

"But when Mommy started yelling at Yamato, you didn't stop her, did you? You let your brother take the blame for breaking Mommy's special thing. For stopping the music."

TK buried his head into his knees and let tiny, precious teardrops fall onto the wooden shamisen, frozen on the lid of the box. It was clutched tightly to him; he was careful not to let it fall a second time.

"Do you remember the music, Takeru? The pretty music?"

"Yes."

"Open the box, Takeru. Hear the pretty music again."

"But I can't make the music. Only Matt can make the music." TK answered, his voice muffled by his chest.

"Open the box, Takeru."

TK sat back slowly, sighing. He looked carefully at the box and slid his fingers towards the lid of the instrument. Gradually, he opened it.

And his eyes opened wide in his head and his fingers itched and his head hurt, as the music played and played. It was an old tune, full of dischordant minor notes and doubtful bass sounds.

And inside the music box, was a tiny figure, plucking at the metal prongs, creating the sounds that came from the music box. TK tapped the glass cover of the music box, trying to get the thin figure's attention.

"Matt!? Matt!!" TK cried as the figure turned around. The music stopped as it instantly leapt off the base of the prong tray and bashed it's fists on the glass ceiling, a look of pain and horror on it's face. Desperation was etched into it's every movement.

"Matt!" TK looked up at Daikiraimon and stood, holding the music box carefully.

"Get him out."

"I can't."

"Get him _out_!"

"It's the same music box, Takeru."

"It can't be, it was broken." TK snarled, clutching it tighter now that he knew of it's precious cargo.

"It's the same music box. But indeed, it cannot be."

TK looked at the figure in the box who pleaded freedom with his eyes. He held the box tight again and spent a moment on thought.

_If this is the same music box, then…_

"It's another one of your illusions." TK murmured. He looked through tears at the figure, which was now on it's knees.

"This box is broken."

"And your brother is dead."

"He's not. He's just not in here." TK replied hotly. "Matt_ took _the blame for the music box! I didn't make him, I tried to stop him! I wanted Mom to know, but he didn't want me to get into trouble! He was protecting me, the way he always did!" And with that TK scowled, turned around, and threw the box at the wall with all the venom he could muster- which at that moment was a quite a lot.

The box burst into stars that drifted down towards the ground, fading as they finally reached it.

"I tried to admit it was me, but he wouldn't let me. He wanted me to be safe in myself, and happy, like he always has!" TK spun on his heels, growling.

"And _you _have made me unhappy. And _that _would make him _mad_." Daikiraimon pulled herself up to her full height and stared down at the young man before her.

"You are full of illusions- all of the things you have shown me are just illusions, horrible pictures, things to take my mind off the matter in hand! All of the words you've said, you've twisted my own and made me hate them, made me unable to speak without you _twisting everything up_!"

"I worked only on what was already there, Takeru." Daikiraimon replied, although her voice showed a little defence, and her body showed a little retreat. TK stepped forward again, his breath strong and fast, his hands clenching and unclenching.

"Take me to my brother _now_." He snarled. Daikiraimon looked put out and sighed sharply. She knocked on a wall and a door opened in it suddenly, spreading white light over everything in the room. The room itself suddenly disappeared, the light engulfing and devouring any and all traces of it.

"Come on then. In." She scowled, and walked through the doorway. TK paused for a moment in thought, made sure the still shaking Patamon was now comfortably on his head, and then walked forward.

The sensation of sudden speed took TK's breath away, and the feeling of movement even though there seemed to be nowhere to move to.

TK opened his eyes slowly, to find Patamon sitting on his chest. His head felt like a herd of fairy elephants had been dancing on it all night, and his mouth was dry.

"TK?" Patamon's worried voice was distant.

"Whu…?" TK's weak voice trailed away almost as soon as it had started. It turned rapidly into a cough, and Patamon stepped off TK's chest. He gazed up at the ceiling above him, which was painted in the style of Michaelangelo. He watched as the heavens opened above him, sprawling out over the huge ceiling. As the opposite to the small room, this room was massive. It also had doors. One in every wall, each of those in turn covered in smooth, wooden panels. Mahogany wood, dark and with blood red veins.

TK watched as the reflection of water ripples drifted lazily across the paintings of God and the heavens, and tiny cherubs. Somewhere, his subconsious was telling him there was a large body of water nearby- as the ripples proved. There was also a distinct lack of sound, the kind of lack crated by a large, dense amount of water in a comparitively small space. He listened as the water sounds lapped by his ears.

He tugged at his feet to make himself more comfortable- and found that he couldn't move them. Panic gripped him suddenly, and he tried to sit up, finding he couldn't do that either.

"Patamon!" TK pulling his feet and getting nowhere. He heard the clanking sound of metal on metal.

"You can't get out, TK! She's chained you to the wall bars!" Patamon replied, and TK watched as he flew weakly over to the bars.

"'She' is the cats' mother, little rat."

TK hear Daikiraimon's voice carry over the room, echoing off the dark walls.

"Look here to me, Takeru. Look at my 'illusion' now." TK turned his head, twisting his body so that he lay on his side and his feet were tangled in their bonds.

"No illusions, no holds barred, little Takeru. What you see in this room is real- there are no false pictures, no horrible worlds for you to visit that do not exist anywhere but your own mind."

TK's eyes widened. He saw Daikiraimon, yes- but more important was the figure who stood before her. He was dressed in a half- ragged white shirt, and black trousers. His blonde hair was strewn across his face, and he looked up suddenly. His eyes were half-empty, but TK would know them anywhere.

"Matt…" he whispered.

Matt's own eyes widened as he saw his chained brother.

"TK!"

TK felt his breath quicken. This truly was no illusion- his search of two years was finally over.

This was his Matt. This was his oniichan, his beloved brother, here in his true form. He kicked out at the chains that held him, dying to reach out and touch his brother, wanting so hard to make sure that this was real, that it wasn't an illusion caused by his past madness or Daikiraimon's evil.

"Have you missed him, little one?" Daikiraimon laughed.

"TK, are you okay? Has she hurt you?!"

TK wept at the worry in his brother's voice; relished these new words. Loved the way his brother spoke his name.

"No! No, I'm fine now!" came his strangled reply. Matt turned to Daikiraimon, a look of anger on his face. For the first time, TK could see that Daikiraimon held Matt tightly to herself with her long, strangely thin but muscular arms. Worry clouded his mind again, and his temper came to the fore.

"Let him go!" TK yelled, dragging himself a little closer with his arms.

"TK, no! Stay there!" Matt yelled back. He looked at Daikiraimon.

"It's time you let me go. Let me go _home_."

"The water's nice this time of year, Yamato." Daikiraimon smiled evily. Matt shied back.

"What if I should drown your brother? He cannot swim, can he? Of all the sports he can do, he still cannot swim; that one remainder of his weak childhood." She spoke to Matt, and TK knew suddenly that she was aware of his weakness.

He had never learned to swim.

After almost drowning whilst trying to get to his brother on the way into Odaiba six years ago, he had never learned; had always had a healthy fear of the water. Suddenly, he cursed himself.

How many times had Matt offered to teach him? Offered his understanding and help all over again, and how many times had he refused?

"No!" Yelled Matt, looking across at TK with a fit of worry building up inside him.

"It's a very special pool, Matt. Every person who has been unfortunate to fall in has drowned." Daikiraimon advised, sighing an empty sigh. With that, she shrugged, looked skywards and pushed him in.

Matt didn't even have time to utter a sound before he was in the water, engulfed by blue death.

"Matt!" TK screamed, pulling towards the edge of the pool, yanking his feet, trying to pull them free. "_Maaatt_!!" He turned angrily to his imprisoned feet and pulled them hard again and again, until he could feel the bite of metal in his ankles and the warmth of blood on his legs. Tearing them apart, trying to strip the bars of their prey.

Little by little the chains gave in to his tugging, deepening their jaws into TK's ankles. He could just reach the edge of the pool and dug his fingers in, pullng himself across the floor to the dark wetness.

"You'll never get him out, Takeru!" Daikiraimon called.

As TK pulled himself closer, he could see how badly Matt was struggling in the water. And he could see why. The entire pool had been covered with a thin membrane, an invisible layer of suffocating plastic, like kitchen film.

It was forcing hs brother to suffocate.

No matter how he tried, he could not break free. TK watched him struggle whilst still desperately pulling his legs, ignoring the pain.

"_Maaaaatt! Oh, God, please don't go again! Don't go again!_" TK was beyond all control, sobbing into his hands.

He knew that even if he _could _free himself of the chains, he would never be able to save his brother.

It was the only death he could not even try to save him from.

Matt's struggling was becoming weaker. Despite being a very strong swimmer, his breath was burning his lungs, emptying his body of strength the more he struggled. The film coated him totally now, although the rest of the pool was now free of it.

TK was vaguely aware of fast movement beside him, and a sudden splash in the pool. He looked up through the darkness of his tears to see two people in the pool- one his brother, the other a familiar figure in it's own right.

"Tai?!" TK choked, as he watched his friend drag his brother to the side of the pool and hoisted him up int the arms of another friend.

"Izzy?" TK whispered. He struggled some more, and as he did so he loosened the contents of his pockets. There wasn't much in them, but what was fell out and rolled to a stop on the floor.

TK watched as the silver coin he had picked up from the ashes of the fire came into his field of vision. He grabbed it and held it tightly, hoping it would be good for something, praying that his brother would live.

He turned away as he heard Tai and Izzy's frantic voices, closed his eyes as he heard the word 'CPR' and covered his ears as he heard pounding.

"Don't tell me if it's bad…don't tell me if it's bad…" he whispered, tears rolling off his cheeks to the already wet floor. He opened his eyes weakly and saw a friend at his ankles- but this was one he hadn't expected to see. The spiritual form of Mamanamon stood at his feet, gently stroking his bleeding ankles, using her immense powers to burn away the chains that held him. When she was done, TK was still too terrified to take his hands away from his ears or open his eyes. He felt the pain in his ankles lessen and a warm hand on his face.

He opened his eyes slightly and saw Mamanamon's face gazing at him. She smiled sadly, and indicated the coin in his right hand.

He noticed it, _really _noticed it for the first time. He took his hands away from his ears and then replaced them, when he could hear Tai counting out for resucitaion.

"One one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand…"

TK's pain and frustration reflected in his face for a moment as it creased. Mamanamon gently prised his hands away from his ears and then replaced them with her own.

"Give it to her." TK saw Mamanamon mouthe. TK allowed Mamanamon to shake his head a little with her hands and then pulled away, attempting to stand on legs that were quite without their normal strength. He struggled across the room, purposefully looking away from the area where Tai and Izzy were working on bringing Matt back from the edge of death.

He then set his sights on Daikiraimon as she stood, motionless, watching the goings on with a small smile.

"I have something to give you." TK growled weakly, still making his way slowly towards Daikiraimon. "I owe it to you. I've owed it to you for the past two years."

"What is that, small, insignificant Takeru?"

"I'm not small, and I'm not insignificant. And nor is my brother." TK stood in front of her now, his skin crawling so hard with hatred that his bones wanted to escape. He took her hand and splayed it out. Then he looked her in the eye and whispered,

"I will remember."

He pushed the coin into her palm and then leapt back in shock, as her hand began to dissolve. She screamed and TK turned away, and walked to the other side of the room entirely- and found a corner to sit in. He knelt down and tried to listen to the calming sound of the water, without any of the other interruptions. Without Daikiraimon's screaming, without Tai and Izzy's frantic transactions…

When he could finally bring himself to turn back, he saw the coin steaming on the ground. Mamanamon picked it up and threw it into the air. Making a tearing motion mid-air with her hands, Mamanamon made the coin break apart, sending it into a thousand tiny pieces that flew all around the room, finally settling by the doorways. TK watched as she came closer, then closed his eyes again.

He couldn't hear Tai and Izzy anymore.

He couldn't hear them trying to save Matt.

And he didn't hear Matt.

"Don't tell me if it's bad…Don't tell me if it's bad, Tai, I don't wanna know, I don't wanna know…" TK wept as he heard footsteps behind him. He felt Tai's hand on his shoulder.

But he said nothing.

"Oh, God, he's gone, isnt he? He's gone again…"

Tai still didn't speak, he just rubbed TK's shoulder.

TK burst into sobs, his body wracking, his lungs hurting more with every breath. He felt warm, thin hands on his arms, his arms that were so tightly curled around his body. The new hands moved up to his wrist and he felt a tugging at it, which he tried to resist. He looked up into Mamanamon's face, and saw that it was deply saddened.

"He's gone away again…" TK wept as he allowed Mamanamon to drag him to his feet, and then wrap her arms around him.

Gradually, he felt his feet moving, and was so numbed by Mamanamon's presence that he just allowed her to guide him.

Eventually he took his face out of her clothes and gazed down as she stopped. And there was Matt, eyes closed, a look of final peace on his face. TK pulled away, crying again, but Mamanamon held him tightly, brushing the tears off his face with her hand. She then knelt down beside Matt and brushed his forehead with the tears on her hand. She smiled softly and continued to stroke his forehead.

Her smile warmed as Matt's eyes tightened for a moment, and his hand wandered up to them, blocking out the light a little. She kept her hand on his forehead, and Matt's eyes slowly opened underneath the shade of his palm.

He was silent as he looked between Mamanamon and his brother. TK was silent, his heart hurting from want.

"No more illusions…" he begged.

"Hello, little Yamato." Mamanamon smiled. Matt fixed his eyes on hers.

"Hello." He replied, his voice coated with sleepiness. TK dropped to his knees by his brother. Matt turned to him and smiled, as did Mamanamon.

Matt reached out to wipe the mess of tears off TK's face with his sleeve. TK let him, too stunned to make him stop.

"What's that all about? Huh?" Matt asked softly. TK tried to speak, but found that there was too much pent-up emotion inside to even open his mouth properly. As soon as Matt wiped away TK's tears, new ones replaced them.

"I remember…what it felt like when you used to hug me." TK whispered, through his engulfing tears. He wiped his face. "Please do it again…"

Matt's face fell and he worridly sat up, taking TK instantly in his arms. TK folded up completely, his hands resting on each of Matt's shoulders, his face on his hand. His sleeves clutched tightly under his smallest fingers, he swore to himself that he would never let go.

Matt held him tighter as he started to sob again.

"Shhh…Stop crying, TK… Stop crying… You've done enough of that…" He tried to pull TK off of him a little, but he wouldn't let go.

"No, don't let go. Please don't let go…" TK begged through Matt's shirt. Instead of letting go, Matt intensified his grip.

TK was home.

He couldn't imagine anywhere he'd rather be than in his brother's arms; reunited at last.

As he finally pulled back, he looked into his brother's face. It was pale, and TK could see that he had tales to tell that could perhaps equal his own.

"I'm sorry…" TK looked sad as he brushed Matt's face with his fingertips.

"For what?" Matt asked, looking his brother in the eye. TK wrapped his arms around Matt's neck.

"Just because."

* * *

They looked out across the Digi-world. It was beautiful. The sky was clear and blue, the grass green and healthy-looking. Matt and TK looked out across the countryside. The wind caressed them gently as they stood, TK with his arms around Matt's waist and Matt with his hands on TK's shoulders. TK felt his brother take a deep breath.

"It sure looks better like this."

"Sure does."

"Daikiraimon's virus went with her, taking back all the evil she spewed out all over the land." Matt looked down at his brother, who was still watching the scenery in an unequalled state of peace.

"What did Mamanamon say she'd done with the coin?"

TK didn't answer.

"Hey, are you asleep down there?" Matt smiled and tugged at his brother's hat. TK giggled tiredly and replied,

"Nearly." He straightened his hat.

"So what did she say?"

"Who?"

"Mamanamon!"

"Oh. Um…She said that, there couldn't be a truly good being in the world if there wasn't a truly evil one… So she couldn't destroy the coin. But she's made it so that it won't cause any more trouble."

"Oh yeah?" Matt said, grimly.

"Mmm." TK replied, sighing.

Matt heard a voice behind them.

"Hey, you guys!" Tai grinned. Matt smiled back, but TK was too tired to answer.

"Hey, Tai." His smiile was tired and weak, but it was a smile Tai hadn't seen in two years and he simply didn't care so long as it existed at all.

"Are you two feeling better now?"

"I think so."

"You both look exhausted."

"Yeah, well, you don't look so hot yourself!" Matt offered a wry smile and Tai answered it with a big grin.

"Yeah… It's been a long couple days."

"You know, TK hasn't really told me too much about what happened. Just the basics." Matt said worridly. Tai sighed and shook his head, closing his eyes tightly.

"What?" Matt asked, frowning.

"Trust you."

"Trust me _what_?"

"Trust you to be more worried about TK than you are about yourself."

Matt scowled and turned away.

They were silent for a moment.

"Life hasn't been a bed of roses for you either, has it?"

"No." Matt replied honestly. He took a deep breath, and then sighed it out slowly. "I'm not ready to talk about it yet."

"Maybe TK isn't either." Tai suggested, shrugging. "He had a tough time with that Dr Kaibutsu guy." Matt's expression darkened like thunderclouds.

"Yeah. I'd like a word with him."

"So would TK. He'd just love to _show_ you off to him." Tai smiled. Matt closed his eyes.

"And I have you to thank for that, Tai. You saved my butt. Again."

"Mah." Tai shrugged. "What are friends for? Besides… it's good to have you back. Very good." Matt blushed a little at Tai's sentiment, and so did Tai. They were uncomfortable in each other's presence for a moment, but eventually Matt broke the silence.

"How did you find us, anyway?" Matt asked eventually.

"We followed TK. When me and Sora realised he was missing at the asylum, we raced back to get Izzy. We tracked him down on Izzy's computer via his digivice- but we lost all contact when he went into the cave. We entered the digiworld and followed him in, thinking something bad had happened to him.

"We couldn't find him in the cave anywhere. We didn't even know the room was there- you know, the mosaiic one. We couldn't see it at all.

"Suddenly, this whole section of wall just disappeared- I guess it was shielded by some sort of spell or something. And there was a door there. We heard you and TK through the door and as soon as we heard trouble we kept trying to get in, but the door wouldn't open. It took both of us to get the stupid thingout of the way. Maybe she had a spell on that too, keeping it shut, I dunno. But… That's how."

"Thank you." Matt said quietly. Tai shrugged and smiled at his friend.

"Sure." He said lightheartedly. He threw his arm suddenly around his friend's shoulder. "It's good to have you back."

"I think it's good to be back." Matt smiled at Tai. "And I think TK's asleep." He finished, looking down at his snoozing brother. He gently plucked TK's arms from around him and held him carefully upright by his waist.

"Hey Tai, watch this. TK is the only person I've ever seen actually sleep on their feet!" Matt grinned and dropped down to one knee and slowly, carefully, took his arms away from TK's waist. His head dropped to his chest; he was clearly asleep. He was also stading on his feet; watched by a vigilant Matt. Tai giggled and Matt did too.

"He's always done that, ever since he was little."

The minute TK began to fall forwards, Matt took him up in his arms, careful not to let him collapse to the floor.

"Oop! Don't fall…" TK woke with a start, but found himself in Matt's arms and so relaxed quickly.

The warm air around them soothed them as Matt helped TK back up to a standing position.

"'m tired." TK yawned. Matt smiled.

"I know." He replied. A look of evil crossed his face.

"You know what? I think we should go pay a visit to your Dr Kaibutsu."

"Yeah. Telling me you're dead. What does _he _know? Pouted TK. Matt grinned.

* * *

"The monitor's coming on again sir!" A porter yelled to Dr Kaibutsu. There had been a vigil held by the computer screen since Dr Kaibutsu had entered the room in the last moments of TK leaving it. The man snarled darkly and swept forward to greet the light from the machine, and the young man he expected to see.

He was indeed met by the boy who had left the room via the computer- but also three others. One of whom he knew only through old photographs that he had seen a hundred times over when searching TK's room for his 'little friend' Patamon.

"Hello, doctor." TK greeted coldly as he picked himself up from the floor and dusted himself off. He grinned and Dr Kaibutsu stepped back.

"I'd like you to meet my brother. You know. The dead one." TK indicated Matt with his hand and Matt stepped forward and gave Dr Kaibutsu a disrespectful bow.

Dr Kaibutsu blinked.

And then fell over.

"And now, if you don't mind, I'll be going home." TK informed. He stepped over the bewildered form of Dr Kaibutsu and Matt followed him. He in turn was followed by Izzy and Tai.

"My God…" Dr Kaibutsu whispered as three porters rushed to help him up. He looked up at them blankly. When he finally found his voice, it was lifeless and shaky.

"Do we…have a spare room here? Please?"

* * *

A few months later…

"You want to what? Give me all this stuff back?" Matt shook his head incredulously. "Why?"

TK was sitting with him at the table in their father's apartment. He looked intently into his cooling mug of hot chocolate and sighed. Glancing across at the old guitar and the baseball cards, he said, slowly.

"Well… I have something to confess. I didn't really win them fairly." He winced and shied away from Matt.

When he opened his eyes again, his brother had a half-controlled smile on his face.

"Oh yeah? What did you do?" TK shuffled in the chair and then dug about in his pocket. Eventually, the double-tails coin appeared and TK put it on the table.

"Yeah? And?" Matt prompted, still wearing that secretive little grin. TK scowled at the coin and said quietly,

"Turn it over."

Matt did so, and saw the tails that was also the underside of the coin. He took a deep breath and sighed, a little theatrically.

"I knew."

TK's head snapped up.

"You did!?"

"Yeah. And you knew I knew, or you'd never have owned up to it!" Matt exclaimed, not seeming upset or angry at all- to TK's surprise. He looked at his slippers under the table.

"'m sorry, oniichan."

There was silence.

"It hurt that you would trick me. You don't normally do that- or at least, I don't normally notice you doing it and hope never to notice you doing it again." Matt said eventually, and this time there was no understanding or comfort in his voice.

"I _know_! I _am_ sorry! Really sorry…" TK lamented.

"Okay. Apology accepted." Matt replied and got up to change the CD in the music system.

"So why did you bring the stuff back to me?" Matt asked, his back to TK as he put in a new CD.

"Because…Because I didn't get it fairly, so I thought the best thing to do was give it back to you." TK sighed. Matt noticed the wrenching in his brother's voice- he didn't want to give his ill-gotten gains back, because he was quite fond of having them. However, he hadn't won them fairly- as Matt had originally thought- and now they were a weight on his conscience.

"Okay, well… What if I give you another chance to win them, but this time using _my _coin?" Matt suggested, coming back to his chair. TK appeared to give it a little thought, then smiled.

"Okay."

Matt left his chair and went to his room. In a few moments he returned, with a coin.

"Okay, it's my call." Matt informed, sitting back down again.

"Okay." TK replied.

"Heads, _you _take the stuff. Tails, I keep it."

"Okay." TK sat back to wait as Matt flipped the coin. Landing in his right hand, he flipped it over onto the back of his left and put his hand over it.

"Ready?" he asked. TK nodded.

Matt took his hand away. The pristine coin was showing the heads side face up.

"You win." Matt said shortly.

TK looked suspicious and took the coin off of Matt's hand. Matt didn't try too hard to stop him.

TK lifted his eyebrow.

"This coin has two heads!"

"Hey, I just said we should use my coin, I didn't say anything about fair! Besides, you got the better end of the deal. I didn't really want that stuff that much, otherwise I wouldn't have put it up in any kind of bet. Would I? I guess the guitar would have been nice to keep, but…"

"But…this coin has two heads!"

"I know! Who said you can't teach an old dog new tricks?" Matt winked and got out of his chair. TK put down the two-headed coin beside his two-tailed one.

"You know what?" TK asked, picking them both up again.

"What?" Matt called from the kitchen.

"How about I put _both _of these where they belong?"

Matt came to the entrance of the kitchen inquisitively. TK stood up, walked out to the kitchen and put both the coins in the trash can. Matt smiled at his brother as he looked up at him for approval.

"Seems like a good idea to me, squirt." He replied.

_-Fini-_

_Thank you for reading to the end :) i hope Digiland kept you entertained for a while! :-D_


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